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MsRamsey

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Posts posted by MsRamsey

  1. I see that this thread was started back in December.  It's very cool to see it still going strong.

    After all the talk about Mashiko (and thanks klink for so many juicy DETAILS!!), you can bet it's climbing toward the top of my list.  The rub is that I hardly ever get to West Seattle; with the husband unit out of town, I don't know who I'd be able to drag over there.  Almost all of my friends are either vegetarians, too cheap, or really unadventurous eaters.

    I am kind of pissed about the sawagani thing, since it was really empty the night we were there too.  We even used the best *sushi* etiquette we knew how.  But I won't dwell.  The dinner was very tasty.  It was really up to us to be more clear about what we wanted, right?!

    Love the Mashiko website, sushiwhore.com.  Hilarious!

  2. When your friend uses white chocolate, is the ball completely covered or just partially, enough to glue it to the adjoining balls? It would be a beautiful dessert for Christmas if completely covered then drizzled with red and green colored white chocolate.

    Thank you for asking that -- I realized I should have been more specific.  He dips it in the melted chocolate and uses it to glue the balls together.  But I think your idea is very nice!  The way my friend does it, it could also be dusted with powdered sugar to beauty it up.  Someone out there is probably crying sacrilege!   :wink:

  3. One of my close friends frequently makes a modified croquembouche.  He doesn't use caramel because he doesn't like the fact that it gets rock hard, which would make serving difficult.  He dips the balls in white chocolate instead.  It's gone over very well in the past, at many weddings and Christmas parties, but of course it probably isn't very authentic.

    How is the tower usually disassembled for serving, anyway?

  4. My only grief, and it is only a minor one, is Yamamoto's lack of originality. He served ONLY nigiri.

    You are right on the money, klink.  Nigiri and rolls.  This was especially too bad because it was Monday, it was pretty empty, and he was idle most of the time.  He could've gotten creative because he had the time.  Also, there was a tank of active little crabs right next to us that we kept eyeballing.  My husband inquired about the crabs, and all Yamamoto would say was "appetizer."  I don't know what's up with that; we were polite and spent a lot of money.  We did get to try the sweet shrimp, which was very nice.

    Next time I do omakase, it's going to be Shiro's.

  5. My husband and I ordered omakase at Shiki the other night.  It was not the best I've ever had, but was very good overall.  I ended up eating things I didn't like, but that was intentional.  The chef asked if we had limits, and we said no.  I still don't quite _get_ uni, but at least I tried it again.  I felt really rushed, though.  The chef works extremely fast, and I felt like I had to eat fast, which I didn't enjoy.  It was my birthday, and I wanted one of those leisurely omakase experiences I'd heard about.  One point I wanted to make is that Shiki's sushi is so BIG, I simply cannot eat a piece of nigiri in one bite.  No can do.

    Kathy

  6. I *love* miang kham!

    I'm dying to go to Salumi, so I'm really glad I get to go tomorrow with other like-minded folks.

    As I said before, I must try those truffle fries at Earth & Ocean, not to mention the desserts.  And a rousing "me too" to lastsupper on Harvest Vine.  I resolve to go sometime in the next two weeks and be there right when they open.  So hey lastsupper, if you're game...

    Places I really want to try that come to mind (there are many more):

    *Place Pigalle

    *Le Gourmand

    *Blue Onion Bistro

    *Shilla (the big Korean place on Denny)

    *Sichuanese Cuisine (the one in Bellevue)

    *Deux Tamales in Columbia City

    *El Gouge-o, I mean El Gaucho, for the steak tartare

    *French Laundry (will take some doing, but I will get there someday!)

    I would very much like to get back to Matt's in the Market, Kingfish, and Jones BBQ.

    Kathy

  7. In India white pepper was usually used in sauces that were cream based and you would not want the black powder to show.  White peppercorns are not as subtle as black.  So, they are used in small amounts.

    Very interesting!  I remember an episode of the Julia Child-Jacques Pepin show not long ago in which their mock argument was about white and black pepper.  Jacques used black pepper in a light-colored sauce, and Julia admonished him for not using white pepper, I gathered for aesthetic reasons.  Jacques countered that he wanted his sauce to actually have some flavor, insinuating that white pepper was too mild!

  8. No, this was the first time I had ever eaten at E&O.  Those truffle oil/sea salt fries (called "Sexy Fries") have been calling my name ever since I heard about them.  Yesterday, however, wasn't the right day to try them, as I was singing in a concert last night and didn't want anything heavy.

    And thanks much for the birthday wishes!  I've already scored a copy of "The Naked Chef Takes Off" today!  Really nice book.

    My apologies in advance for all the OT stuff.

    Kathy

  9. Wow, thanks!  Did I put it in my profile or something?

    I'm trying to decide where to ask my husband to take me for a fabulous dinner.  When discussing it last week, he said "well, I liked the Herbfarm."  So I'm thinkin', hey, if you're willing to spend *that* kind of cash, the floor is pretty much open, eh?  :wink:

    Kathy

  10. I had a pretty tasty salad yesterday at the Earth & Ocean bar:  Lobster, roasted corn, greens, roasted red and green bell peppers with a bacon vinaigrette.  It was very good and worth getting, though it lacked a certain something--a minor crunchy element, perhaps.  They were quite generous with the lobster.

    I'm pretty interested in eating dinner there; Earth & Ocean's stock is definitely on the rise these days.

  11. My Chinese friends and an American friend who lived in China for a long time think it's the best Sichuan in Seattle.  (They have another restaurant in Bellevue, but I haven't been there.)  I like the Spicy Beef with Noodles, Dry Cooked String Beans, and their soups.  My husband and I have to alternate between visits in ordering the Dry Cooked Chicken and the Mandarin Chicken (we love both dishes, but the former is his fave and the latter is mine).  They serve hot pot; that's something I haven't gotten into yet.

    It's pretty much a dive; you don't go there for atmosphere.  You usually have to get up and get your own water.  If you order the dumplings (steamed or fried, 25 of 'em for something like $4), which one might normally think of as an appetizer, many times they'll come out after the entrees.  But the food is really great and SOOOO cheap.  The lady who is usually the waitress seems to like me because I can say "delicious" and "thank you" in Mandarin.  ;)

  12. The closest semi-comfortable place I can think of to sit down around there is Hing Hay Park; it's probably 6 or 7 blocks away.

    For a sit-down alternative, or a lunch gathering for a different day, may I suggest Sichuanese Cuisine restaurant on 12th and Jackson.  I dream about that place on a daily basis.

    Kathy

  13. Yeah, chicken fried steak at a diner for $5.50 is fine, but you know 5 Spot is selling it for something like $14.  It's smothered in gravy, and it's part of their latest cutesy theme (Route 66).

    I remembered one of my favorite salads:  Thai beef salad.  So refreshing and citrusy.  When we order Thai food at work, that's usually what I get, along with an order of sticky rice.

  14. My favorite green salad in Seattle is the Botanical Salad at the 5 Spot.  It's dark leafy greens dressed with a light vinaigrette and topped with bleu cheese and candied pecans.  And it is quite big.

    In general I'm not crazy about the 5 Spot's menu and gimmickry (right now they have chicken fried steak -- hullo?), but the Botanical Salad keeps me going back, especially since I *have* to be on upper Queen Anne every Monday night.

    I'd love to hear others' suggestions.

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