cookingclassjunkie

Is it easier to decorate the pieces first and then assemble? Also, is there a trick to the Royal Icing--is it supposed to be like a paste? I am making my first gingerbread house with my daughter today and am a little nervous. The last time I made one as a child, the roof caved in!

I was at Volterra when RR's crew were wrapping up filming. Chef Don said that RR is on a book tour & selected a few restaurants across the country that she's highlighting on her talk show on CBS. Volterra is the only restaurant they filmed in Seattle. Good for them- they deserve it! I guess it will air sometime in January.

Actually, the link posted was for the 2005 winners. The 2006 winners hasn't been posted to the Seattle Magazine website yet. I will try and scan it in and post for you. The issue is out on the newstands now too.

I didn't see a menu the last time I walked by. They only have a temp page on their website. Veil Website

Whole Foods has organic, roasted chickens which are good.

Thank you all for your recommendations. We had a wonderful time in Victoria. Our absolute favorite meal was at the Rosemeade. The flavors were layered- the presentation gorgeous- and our server was professional, attended to our every need but was not obtrusive. It was an outstanding experience. We thoroughly enjoyed our dinner at Cafe Brio. Incredible local ingredients (amazing arugula), wonderful flavors, again, great service. We were lukewarm on our meal at Temple. It's a very cool atmosphere- I'll go there for cocktails next time. The appetizers & salad courses were underwhelming. However, they redeemed themselves on the entrees. The steak was perfectly cooked and flavorful. The linguine with clams & serrano ham had great flavor as well. Service needs refinement. Again, Thank You! If you ever need recommendations in Seattle please let me know.

Sazerac & El Gaucho both have private rooms. And Wild Ginger.

I heard that she's going back to work at Amazon.

I've never heard of Cafe Stellina. They won 3 awards. Anyone been there?

Thank you all for your wonderful suggestions. We will be arriving on the Clipper for a Sat-Tues getaway in August. So glad to know that Rosemeade and Cafe Brio are open on Sun/Mon. Is Don Mee the best place for Dim Sum?

My husband and I will be spending 3 nights in Victoria to celebrate our Anniversary. I need your help in selecting the 3 restaurants for us to visit. We want to celebrate with outstanding dining & wine. Some of the places I have on my list are: Rosemeade, Cafe Brio, Fire and Water, Lure, and Temple. I am also torn between staying at the Ambrosia B&B, the Empress or the Delta Victoria Ocean Pointe. I have not been to Victoria in many years so I am not sure where the Ambrosia or Ocean Pointe are located in relation to the Empress. We will not have a car so I would like the location to be convenient. Does one stand out for romance? Any suggestions or advise would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much!

The PNW Board is extremely diligent in discussing what's going on in the local restaurant scene. I would be willing to bet that most openings/closures are posted on this board w/in 24 hours of the news going public. The 28 pages of discussion goes back nearly 3 years - to Oct 2002. While the restaurant business was hot in the 90's - primarily due to the booming economy from the dot coms, we saw a pretty significant slump after Sept 11. Union and Lark were a few of the 1st restaurants to come onto the scene after the slump. In the last year, the activity has increased significantly. It's exciting to see activity again.

I read their restaurant recommendations as what is new, hot, and notable in Seattle right now. They've probably already done an article that included Seattle classic's, etc. The article only mentioned 3 restaurants in "Where to Eat": Crush, Volterra & Tamarind Tree. Ibiza was listed under "What to do at Night". I think all 3 are excellent choices. Crush and Volterra always come up in conversation as the new places to check out right now and Tamarind Tree is a great new place for interesting, Vietnamese food & it's very inexpensive. Ibiza is really more of a nightclub/bar that serves food. Trendy & a good place to people watch and grab a cocktail but I don't think that their food is the draw. Probably why they weren't listed under the dining recommendations. Congrats to all that were mentioned!

I don't think I'd like to see how he treats someone he views an "ignoramous". I may just have to check this place out on a weeknight at 5pm to see if the climate is a little different.

Had another outstanding dinner at Volterra this week. My jaw nearly dropped when our waiter mentioned they now have a Captains List which included several rare bottles of Leonetti. I wish I had a special occasion coming up so I had a reason to spring for one of those babies. I may have to create one