thelastsupper

At the end of a long highway . . . . . . Magic . . . (lightning flashes)

Sure. The dish is simply a slice of ham in a buttered dish. Then two eggs on top with lots of gruyere. They toss the thing under the salamander til the cheese is melted and the eggs are just set. Then salt and pepper. It'll blow yer mind! That dish is on the all day menu. I would guess that it is also served early as well. I know I have ordered it for lunch before. Breakfast . . . never been.

If the egg dish that you are referring to is their Ouefs Plats, you will be hardpressed to find a better egg dish around.

Yeah, I realize that I haven't been up that way for about 6 years. I don't know why I am so surprised.

Is the Dunkin' Donuts gone from Aurora Ave?!?

I will be eating at Ouest tonight. I am curious to see how the food has changed over the past year. It will be interesting to compare it directly to Lumiere (tomorrow night, hope ego is in under wraps). Full report soon to come.

I just noticed that H. V. was open until midnight! I have always had trouble getting in to this place, lamentably, as I have an ongoing crisis with Seattle's perception of Spanish food and I've heard de Jimenez is the real deal. These hours will make it somewhat easier to see what they're about. Nice to see they are running on Spanish time in terms of dining hours. Might be more pleasant after 9:30 anyway. . .

Ah, ole Adría's spreading like the motherloving plague.

Trillium, do you also dislike scallops? I usually dislike sweet things (esp. desserts) but have never thought that prawns were too sweet. Interesting. Scallops have bordered on too sweet for me though, depending on their preparation.

I like to bring olive oil to a simmer in a small deep pot, add some thyme and whole garlic cloves and salt and let it sit off the heat for awhile. Peel the prawns in the meantime. Malarkey-- careful with the tails, I've heard that they are poisonous or at least can give you a nasty infection. Bring the oil back up to heat for just a second, and drop the prawns in. Let them just begin to turn opaque, then pull them out. The texture remains very much like amaebi- silky rather than at all mealy. There is minimal shrinkage this way too. I like to serve them over a cauliflower puree or soup. Or on warm lentils with a vinaigrette.

So what would be your top ten? I am ever so curious. On a sidenote, has anyone been to Kisaku? I've heard good things about it and I think it was mentioned as one of the runner ups on the Leson List. Sushi is my best friend.

Details, seawakim?

Yeah, well I think it's unfortunate that service issues at E & O are at such a level that the food suffered. The night that I went to eat there, it was pouring rain, so my companion and I walked through part of the hotel to get to the restaurant. When we approached the host stand, we were quickly asked if we were there to eat and ushered to a table in the back. I was put off guard a bit, did she want the reservation name? She looked rather startled, but nodded her head and vanished. When we were approached by our server, we were also a bit confused . . . He was buzzing with all this weird nervous energy, very vague, not really speaking to either of us directly (?). He took our drink order. I had a Manhattan and my partner had a Kir. Then he looked straight at my partner and asked, "Up?" We were baffled and just stared at him. Finally, "Do you want that up, or on the rocks?" Again, we didn't really know what to say, umm, a Kir on the rocks? Weird, weird. No ice, thanks. Our drinks came, quite a bit later, extremely sweet. If all of this sounds rather hurried, good. The entire atmosphere of the restaurant was that of spin, spin, spin. Our server clearly wanted to spend as little time at our table as possible after he took our order and did little to remedy or apologize for his mistakes (forgotten side dish, entrees pushed on us). We had an order of oysters. Fine. We both had the Corona Bean Soup with duck confit. This really got me mad. The soup had a heavy skin over it from sitting (absolutely no break between courses, a premature fire on the part of the server?) and we discovered as we ate, a thick, gloppy ring around the bowl. Nasty. The soup itself was bland, if nicely textured. It tasted better with a bite of confit, savory and layered. But after three bites the confit was gone. Alone, all it really had was texture. The pumpkin seed oil drizzled over the top added nothing but color contrast. A large portion, no tiny portions in sight the whole night. The sea bass was nicely done, especially when we added a side order of kale with (more!) bacon. It came wrapped in bacon, with lentils. It has been described elsewhere. A successful dish. However, again service issue: I finished my soup first and the bowl was almost immediately taken away and my sea bass placed in front of me. My partner was not finished with his soup. His sea bass was being held by another server/food runner a few feet away. An annoying situation and a cooling fish. Also, the side dish of kale came in well after we had begun eating-- I was nearly finished except for a scrap of fish and several forkfuls of lentils. Dessert was a train wreck. As I said before, horribly sweet. I had an Apple Jack Apple Stack. When I asked my server about it, he said, Well, it has apples . . . and white chocolate . . . like a ganache . . ." . . . ? It also had a strange green netlike tuille. Why green? The dessert was like the world's sweetest cinnabon, sweeter as you ate. I didn't finish it. We skipped on coffee.

Yes, I think salmon trout and steelhead can be used interchangeably (as was mentioned earlier on this thread). Although salmon trout just sounds unpleasant.

Uh, what HB said.

Priscilla, Steelhead flesh is reddish pink, like salmon. Was the fish that you bought the color of salmon? If not, it was probably rainbow trout (which seems to me a very strange thing to pass off as steelhead).

Before the first place burned down, there was a bear puppet called Herb that would go around and describe the dishes. yes, I'm shuddering too.

Sorry for taking so long to reply-- and this won't be a full review but the long and the short: I would go to Zoe before E and O especially on Mondays (Zoe's entire winelist is half price). Zoe served good food, nothing extraordinary, but satisfying. Sort of elevated and glorified home cooking . . . a pleasant overall experience. Earth and Ocean served mediocre to good food. Horrible desserts (Why does everyone rave? all style, no substance. Inedibly sweet!). Service was bad, bad, bad. Everyone seemed eager as hell to turn all the tables. Busser chewing gum the whole evening. I think the flaws of the service severely distracted from the merits of the food. If you do go, get the bacon wrapped bass (assuming you get the $25 menu). It was tasty.

I think she is trying to set her standard. Clearly she's laying down the law on what she is all about: no cheerleading. Her old reliable-- Etta's-- doesn't work for her anymore. She needs to find a new standard. Obviously she needs to get out to Le Gourmand. I agree that it will be interesting to read her reviews as she gets to know the area better (assuming that she doesn't know it well already).

I thought the article was hard hitting and spot on. Personally, I tend to trust someone who will explain why they don't like a meal. Then, by all means, tell me what works well. Too many reviews around here are glowing and soft. I am glad to be told where to avoid. If only someone had told me about Earth and Ocean before last night, blech! It's funny, girl chow, I read the $2 Vietnamese sandwich comment as "who wants to eat a $2 Vietnamese sandwich?" the first couple times. I was like, wha? Though I wonder at your comment regarding information vs. hot air . . . what did you think about Min Lao's recent article in The Stranger on Falafel in Seattle? Her writing seemed to reflect Penelope's comment: "f something isn't described in 100 percent glowing and positive terms, this person doesn't see that thing as "good." In actuality, there was only one sandwich I said I didn't like, the rest I liked -- with varying degrees of enthusiasm. In some cases, I made suggestions for improvement. For this reader, my suggestions and "negative comments" completely outweighed any "good" I mentioned." To me, all of that stuff is good, soild information. Not perhaps positive, but valuable. Hot air? Nah.

Reports to come soon on Zoe and Earth and Ocean. I would start now, but I am tired and having trouble typing (show at the Croc.)

I like Nell's too, but I don't think anyone has talked about it on here. I find that it is one of the rare dinners in Seattle that I can trust in: whatever I eat will be simple and good. Wow, that list is shrinking fast in Sea-town. Wonderful service in an odd room-- like the ghost of Sizzler's-- that is still quite comfortable. Perhaps Greenlake is too out of the way for folks? Anyone else have anything to add? Edit: Nell's is on the 25 for $25 list so you heathens got no excuse!

I've been to a bunch of classes with Bruce. They are a really good way of understanding his unique cooking. Besides the lesson you get a multi course meal with wine. Highly recommended!

I'll recommend the new Capitol Hill Internet Cafe and Eatery too. It is on Broadway in the place where Buffalo Exchang used to be. Really good (and large) sandwiches for around 5-6 bucks. Both the East Coast and the Roasted Turkey are excellent.

No, sorry. To clarify: Au Bouchon is open. Au Bouchon used to be an outstanding and authentic Spanish place that is now closed: La Bodega. No confusion here.