OnlyTheBest

Andrew.... I discovered a site a few years ago that I have been ordering very high quality tea from.... Go to: truetea.com. They have a fabulous selection. I am sure that you will find what you are looking for. Liz

WOW that is a long way to go from down here in Gig Harbor. I wish there was some place in Tacoma for that. I think i am gonna have to move closer to the food places as there seems to be little avilable from where i live. I would love a good dosa though. I'll give Gateway a try...i hope it's good thanks for the info

White Lotus...what kind of Indian food is being served at Gateway to India? Is it northern or southern? I love dosas and was wondering where to find them in the Tacoma area....does Gateway have them? Thanks

Yetty.... Thanks for the lovely pic I try to eat durian whenever i can get one. They are usually avilable here in the seattle area at the asian markets. It is usually the whole fruit....but i think they are frozen before they get here as i have seen frost on them at times over the years in other cities. I have never had a black sapote but have been told that it has a similar flavor to chocolate pudding. I would love to get my hands on one. Have you ever had an ice cream bean? I am not too sure what the fruit actually is but it is suppose to taste similar to ice cream. You are living in an area of the world that is fruit heaven. I once had a botanist friend that had traveled all over Indoneisa and he said all he did was eat amazing fruit all the time. Too bad we can't get some of the really strange ones here in the US. Dragon fruit is fun to look at but tastes like nothing really. Where is that black sapote! I really want one of those.

yeah...purdy is close by...in fact we just came from there...I wanted to show her the spit. I didn't see the beach house though. I'll check it out if she's up for it but i think she wants to go into seattle tonight. I'll let you know. Thanks for the recomendation.

OK.....my friend just got in from Indy and came down to check in at the Inn at Gig Harbor. SHe was dying for some seafood right away. So...instead of driving up to Seattle...I called to see if Harbor Lights was serving and they were. SO...today we went there. It was not crowded when we arrived and we sat out on the deck. The food was not first rate....but for just a lunch it was fine. We had the sauted dungeness crab legs and claws (very nice) and baked salmon, oysters rockefeller,calamari, crab cocktail and some turtle pie for desert. We shared everything and short of the decent rough cut fries there was not a vegetable in sight. This was a seafood feast....and not at all bad for the price. My favorite were the oysters...could have eaten 2 dozen of them. The breeze was soft and it was partly cloudy....couldn't have asked for a better table as the water was just below us. Actually it was just perfect....for this balmy sort of afternoon. Now she's in her hotel room sleeping it off....but before she went to bed.... she called me and was starting to ask about dinner. Now THIS girl is a serious eater. Guess we'll head up to Seattle for one of your suggestions.... Thanks for helping out.

thanks for your comment on saltys ....my friend really loves good seafood and when she travels she is use to the best as she is on a company expense account so money is no object here. She told me to find the best in town. I know she would appreciate a good view as well but the food is number one. Anymore suggestions from the board would be most appreciated. Thanks

Thanks...all the suggestions sound good. I was also told about Saltys...what kind of a place is that then? is it good ?

Has anyone had any experience with Harbor Lights in Tacoma? I keep hearing people say good things about them? what do you think?

Help! I have an unexpected visitor comming tuesday from the midwest ..for a one night stay and i need a fabulous safood resturant recomendation. As i have not lived here long enough to know where to take my fish loving buddy...I am so glad i have this board to ask. Here's what i need.... -Something on the water if possible (she is comming from land locked Ohio) -Price no object...but the seafood has to be THE BEST ! -Someplace that's more about the food and not fancy Any suggestions would be most appreciated. Thanks so much.

cmvnapa....you are so right.....the whole area out there were Vella was has changed. I went thru there on my way to move up here and i didn't even recognize the area at ALL!!! I kept driving around with my jaw dropped. The quiet little area that use to be green valley was overtaken by and office park complex and a car dealer and GOD knows WHAT else!!! I guess it had to happen sooner or later. I know that farmer has got to still be there but the question is where is he. I will make an effort to try to find him at some point. For all i know.... I may come down to the area again to spend the winter as winters up here are long a dreary. But...I'm not too sure about that either at the moment. And yes.. please let me know if you come up this way.... I would gratefully pay you for any baguettes you could bring. Even day or 2 old they are better than what is here. Thanks so much for offering.

i have not been paying attention to the news and it's after midnite here and i just saw on the food network a little trailer ...something like we'll miss you Julia....and i knew something had happened. I just read online about it.....now i'm in tears. God bless her...she was such an inspiration. And yes..... it seemed like she would go on forever....it never occured to me she would actually die. How silly. A very dear woman indeed.... may she rest in peace.

This was a farmer that sold only peaches....nothing else so it was not a produce place and there was no sign....it was just a private road. If it had not been for the peaches out front i would have just driven right past it.

cmvnapa....you are breaking my heart I do remember cordelia rd and all that there was. I have not lived there since 1987 and at that time the Vella cheese company had a little shop right on green valley rd before you got on to I-80. I do remember that their fresh garlic cheese was nothing short of FABULOUS with Acme or cheesboard baguettes and fresh picked tomatoes. I really cannot remember where this farmer is....all i seem to remember is that when i went grocery shopping in Fairfax....i took the back way on on green valley rd. I remember seeing him....but i don't remember where. I only was there once for his peaches and that was it. I think his trees were finished by the time i wanted more. Anyway...if you ever want something shipped down from seattle...i would be happy to do it for you if you would ship me some acme/cheeseboard baguettes. Someone should start a mail order business overnighting bread from these places. I have a big empty freezer i would love to fill up with good bread. In fact...i have a small piece of a baguette left from when i was there in may.....and even though it has been in the freezer...it is STILL better than anything i can get here. I am nursing it along. So....enjoy your good fortune. I love the Pc. Nothwest... but the really GREAT bread is in Calif.....and i miss it SOOOO much...EVERY day!

NO NO NO!!!! This farmer is NOT in Oregon. I am in the Seattle area....this farmer i spoke of was in Green Valley....one valley over from Napa!! He's in Northern Calif. That's why I posted it on your board. Sorry I really can't remember where. I would have to hunt around for him. But honey...these peaches were easily 5 inches in diameter. I am not making this up....I swear this is all true. This guy was just some smiling Jack....i doubt if the record books were anything he was at all interested in. He was just growing his peaches. I do remember that smile he had on his face though....didn't say much....just smiled. It was almost weird. You know...now i am starting to get crazy about all this.... I may have to force myself to make a trip back down there....whether I can afford it or not. I wonder if his trees are done for the year. Besides... I could do with a haul of Acme and Cheeseboard baguettes...even if they would be a little old when i got them home. Still better than stuff up here. No REALLY stunning bread up here. Good but not FABULOUS.

Now I think I am confused,as i remember from my childhood, my father bringing home bushels of peaches in containers the size of the ones I saw from this farmer. My grandfather was a farmer so I assume that my father knew a bushel when he saw one. He always called them bushels. Now i will have to find out. ALl I know is that I could barely get my arms around the bushel to carry it to the car. And when i dumped it out at home on the table there we 12 HUGE monsters. Have never seen the likes of them since. I'm in the seattle area....and if i had the time...i would drive down and search out that farmer again. But....just can't affored the trip at the moment. Ahhhh...but the memory is as sweet as those lovely peaches. Maybe next year.

When i lived in Green Valley some time ago....there was a farmer not too far and around the bend on green valley road...that would advertise his peaches by putting a bushel of them at the entrance to the farm. One day I was driving by...on my way in to Fairfax to do something...and there they were....the BIGGEST peaches i EVER saw in my life. They were the size of SOFTBALLS......actually even a smaller GRAPEFRUIT! I kid you NOT! I am DEAD serious! I hit the breaks and turned into the farm....and sure a enough....he was selling them by the bushel. So....still in TOTAL disbelief....i bought some. The were SOOOO BIG! There were only 12 !!!! That's right... TWELVE in the whole bushel! THATS how big they were!!! When i brought them home and laid them out on the kitchen counter...I thought my husband was going to faint. We just sat there and looked at them...like they were alien visitors. When we finally came to our senses and opened the first one.....it was PURE pleasure!!! Peach heaven the likes of which i have not found since. HUGE...and fabulous too!!! WHo knew they could grow THAT big and STILL be fabulous! I think we polished them off in 3 days as they were at the peak of ripeness. I even made a enormous peach cobler that i put into the freezer and it took several months to finish off. I have not been back to the area for many years....but I think about it alot....and wonder if that farmer is still selling his peaches. Frog Hollow...Pence and all the others have NOTHING on this guy. They were maginficent!

OOOOOhhhhh..... I see then there WAS another building.. Now i feel like an idoit.....i should have continued to look for it. Well.... Thanks for clearing that up for me...and as long as i am in the neighborhood...I'm gonna hit Uwaj. as well. Hope i don't get lost again trying to find THAT! Thanks for the help.

Are any of these Pence or Frog Hollow peaches avilable at any other stores?? or is it just an exclusive deal with metropolition market or the thriftways. Thanks

I just looked at the website...and the address is different from the one i got on yahoo. the one on yahoo says they are on airport way....and even the phone number is different. I went to that place on airport way.....and it was locked up tighter than a tomb. Is it possible that there is more than one PFI ? ANyway...I wil find it now that i have the correct address. I have no idea what that other place was...maybe it was just a warehouse. I did drive around the entire thing though and there was ABSOLUTELY NO activity at all. But yet..there was a sign outside that said Pacific Food Importers. Go figure..... Well.... thanks for the help all.... i do look forward to going soon as i can.

Yes..I am familiar with alot of these neighborhoods. I'm in the USA but have been traveling to London forever. I have not been though since '97 so i was thinking that things might have gotten really good.. I know it's expensive...actually ...instead of a flat i should be thinking about sharing a place. THEN...there would be lots more money to spend on good food. Any e gulleters in a good foodie neighborhood want to make some money renting a room out ??? Hahahaha Anyway...thanks so much for the suggestions....any other ideas on any other neighborhoods would be great. Gotta be near the good stuff....thanks again.

I know this is gonna seem stupid...but i looked up Pacific Food Importers online...and got their address. Last week...i went over there and it was just a wherehouse...locked up tight as a tomb. I MUST have the wrong place. SO....where is it then? I thought i was going to the right place...but i guess not. I really want to check it out. Thanks

I have the opportunity to spend about 6 months in London.....but the question is where's a good foodie neighborhood to live ?? I won't have a car so i need to be near good markets....and i will absolutely need a place to get fabulous cheese and fabulous bread. First rate fish and chips is also a must have as is nice little hole in the wall ethnic resturants. In other words...I need to live in borough market. Any suggestions would be MOST appreciated. Thanks so much.

Katie..thanks for the suggestion...i will definitely do that. I do like cab/merlot so the all cab will be good too i'm sure. Why is it that those calif wines ,that I had been drinking ,have such an in your face fruit blast? Is it the grapes or the style of making their wines? Not knowing that much about wines i really could never tell what it was that i liked so much about them....now i understand what it is. This cab/merlot is nice...different but nice. I will definitely buy more. Thanks again for your suggestions...I look forward to trying the others that 'really nice' recomended as well.

yes i opened the bottle last night and it is certainly quite good but I am wondering which cab that was that you suggested that was only around $9. I will keep my eyes open for it but this cab/ merlot blend is good. have you had their syrah too??? i saw that on on the shelves as well.