thelastsupper

True Kathy! I've been baffled by Galerias lately and just before they moved. I mean, I always enjoyed the decor in a cheeky sort of way (Them Menus!), but the food has really gone downhill. And people still cite it as their all time favorite Mexican restaurant. What's up? For shame! with El Gallito right up the hill! wink, wink. I'm with Mamster, I must admit severe curiousity about Salumeria. Has anyone gone yet? I'd like to, but somehow it just always seems so far . . .

Okay, so tsquare brought this up in another post as a maybe interesting place to bring visitors. What is the deal with this place? I went once and had a wretched time, I mean, bad. Everyone else I have talked to said that it was a great restaurant, they had a great meal, all in all a great newcomer to the seattle scene (though I suppose they aren't so new anymore). Did I just get them on an off time? I'd love to hear what kind of experience others have had. And yes I had the cabrales flan. And yes it was fairly interesting . . . at least the first half of it.

Thanks Steve! Gravelier sounds delightful. I am set on Tupina now.

Okay, So, I needed to eat quickly before I went to work, and somehow ended up at Julia's over Tacos Guaymas. It started out pleasantly enough. The room is pretty, with large dark wooden tables, a lot of natural light. I figured that I would try to keep it simple, a green salad and fish and chips. Homemade tartar is always exciting. My dinining companion opted for soup and a Northwest (I think?) Tartlet. I didn't try the soup, tomato basil, but it looked fine. My salad was really disturbing . . . glorified Denny's. The lettuce had been cut a long time before I ate it and was browning. I favor a lightly dressed (indeed barely dressed) salad. Luckily this salad came with dressing in a little stainless steel cup on the side. However, after a few bites I just upended the whole cup over the mass of refrigerator cold romaine, alfafa sprouts, soy nuts and shreds of purple cabbage and carrot. I wanted some kind of taste, even if it was that of balsamic vinegar. So onto the fish. It was okay at the beginning, a bit dark, but began to taste of old oil as I ate. More drowning in condiments (The tartar was good!). The fries, sufficient. The tartlet was really, really bizarre. It sort of looked like a pot pie without a top crust or much in it. On the plate it looked like an inverted flying saucer hovering over a ring of undressed "mesclun" greens straight from the bag. Once my companion broke into it, the gravy-like filling spilled out over the plate. It had carmelized onions and shreds of mushroom here and there. Okay for gravy, he said, but a tartlet? The beer was good. All in all, not a very good experience. And it is too bad since it's taken off like wildfire. It seems to already be an institution on Broadway. Maybe it is strictly an egg place, I'd go again to try out breakfast. I just hope it doesn't pull folks away from places like El Greco and Glo's. Julia's gets PACKED on weekends!

Hey all, We leave in about a week for a trip through Bordeaux. We heard interesting things about La Tupina and plan on stopping there. We were also considering a place called Vieux Bordeaux . . . Any other recommendations? We are going to be in Toulouse for awhile as well. Help would be greatly appreciated. We are not in search of the top starred restaurants, simpler food please. Thanks!

Thank you everybody! This has certainly been an interesting discussion, a pleasure to see where it has gone. We secured reservations for Raco. We leave in about a week for a leisurely trip through Bordeaux and Catalonia. Needless to say I am excited. I will be sure to post the details of the meal when we get back. Cheers!

Hey, so what is the deal with these truffle fries? I checked out the E&O menu on Amazon (thanks BH), and they are a whopping $12! I figured, when folks were talking about them before, that they were fries tossed in white truffle oil. Yum. But for that kind of cash . . .? I dunno. Maybe getting a little too precious. Any comments from the folks who've been there? Not just truffle fries . . . this intriguing lobster salad . . . Maybe this should be a new topic. (Then again, maybe I should swing by the bar sometime and check them out)

Yes, I have been quite afraid of C restuarant for awhile now. Oatmeal oil? Dijon Mereingue? Come on. It seems part of this rising trend in food nowadays to place odd ingredients together indiscriminately. Have you heard of argan oil? Here it is! Taste. What could be more decadent than eating gold leaf with caviar? Nothing, taste! I understand the need to bring new and obscure ingredients to light, but please, some restraint! Being baffled as to what one is eating does not necessarily make fine dining. I am eagerly awaiting your notes on Ouest, Cabrales. I recall it as a restaurant aiming for clarity of flavors and am curious to hear how it stands up to your other recent Vancouver experiences, especially Lumiere.

Hey all, I will be in Spain soon and have heard truly awesome reviews of this place, however all of them have been second hand. I would love to hear details of anyone's experience here . . . advice on where to stay, San Celoni? Girona? Thanks in advance, J.

Oh! I forgot to mention Maneki. I was very surprised to see that it made it on Seattle Weekly's top 100. I am actually surprised that anyone has heard of it besides me and the people who introduced it to me. The clearest thing that I remember about this oldschool place was the monkfish liver. An eye opening experience. By this I mean, sort of like the first time you try uni and your eyes fly open (is this odd texture something that should be resting on my tongue?). Something so intense is a rare thing to experience, especially in dining. I am reminded of the time that a vegan friend of mine let me cook whatever I wanted for her as long as it was not meat. I served oysters and she had to stop after two. In her words she felt "too high." She didn't think that she handle another. (Her eyes were shining.) Anyway, I am getting sidetracked. I will always hold Maneki in a dear place for this feeling. Good, clean tastes. One more thing: The last time I was there, was last summer at the height of Ichiro and Sasaki. We were sweltering and our server brought us cold slices of watermelon after the meal while we were struggling to move.

Yeah, Le Gourmand is just one of those places, huh? You go once, begin looking forward to the next visit on the way out the door. I wonder if nettle soup is on the menu now . . . I must admit strong curiousity about E and O also. If nothing else, I've heard that their Pastry Chef does wild things with sugar. CK, it's a crime that you haven't been to Pichet! If for no other reason than to stop by for a glass of wine and perfect, perfect chicken liver terrine. Go, just go. (Before the other stuff.)

So, where are people itching to go lately? I have been killing myself to try to get to Harvest Vine and somehow I always end up with free time and $ on the day when they are closed. Also Au Bouchon . . . bouillabaise . . .ah.

Well, maybe this topic is dead now, but let's get it going again. Sushi is always at the top of my mind. Being someone who is frequently in Olympia (though I live in Seattle) I have to give props where they are due. Osaka is the best sushi around (that I have been to anyway). Osaka Japanese restaurant 7265 Martin Way East. Olympia, WA 98516 Reservations (360) 413-3911 www.osakajapanese.com Awesome tempura, geoduck sauteed in ginger and butter. The tastiest uni. I haven't been to Shiro's, Shiki or Nishino but I think it is much better than Toyoda at about the same price, maybe a little cheaper. So if you are in the neighborhood . . . why not, eh? They also have a spicy fish soup that you will never be able to finish but is exquisite.

I ate there last year, the night before I ate at Lumiere. I enjoyed Ouest a bit more. (Though I believe I was just put off by the "new" Lumiere. The dining room is uglier, tighter, and everyone wears Relais and Chateaux lapel pins. . . Chocolates emblazoned with RF finish the meal, all very odd.) The only major thing that I disliked about Ouest was the room design. They spent some ridiculous amount of money on it and you feel a little like you are eating in a mausoleum. But anyways, on to the food. I had the tasting menu . . . Let's see, First was an amuse of tomato consomme. (Refreshing, but not terribly interesting.) 2- I believe this was the famous Foie gras and Chicken liver terrine with Apple jelly. This dish was phenomenal, surely the best preparation of either liver I have ever had. It came with a thick slice of toasted brioche on the side. Perfect. 3- Seared Alaskan Scallops with Roasted Onion Puree and Potato Wafer. Very good, the puree was perfect with the sweet scallops. 4- Bouillabaise: John Dory (excellent!), prawn, clam, mussel, and squid. In a fennel broth with potato (I think.) Tasty and well handled. 5- Lambb Chops with an eggplant crust; wax and green beans. This was excellent, but as I recall the beans were not quite done. Still very grassy/squeaky. 6- Dessert was Red summer fruit between puff pastry (Not a napoleon). Large, nice ending to the meal. The sommelier was very courteous, gave us suggestions for BC wines to take home to Seattle, the address of a wine shop. The service was precise in all ways, many details. Would definitely recommend. Curious also to hear other, more recent experiences. Cheers. J.