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

On the other hand, you've got to admit that any place with a two hour wait to get in is doing something right. ← They only have 4 tables - they would be full if 8 people walked in the door. Sounds like some others have had good experiences once they got in. I'll give it a few months and may consider trying it again.

The review I read was in the Seattle Times. The restaurant is in the bottom of a condo bldg on Lake Union right near Gasworks Park. We would've gladly asked about a waiting list but the owner (Phred) just snapped at us and didn't give us the chance to ask. He literally snapped at us and immediately turned his back & went back to his customer. There is absolutely nothing around the area so it's not like you could easily go have a drink somewhere else. After mentioning this to a colleague today, they actually had nearly the same experience.

After reading a good review of Elemental@Gasworks, I gathered up 2 foodie friends and we made our way to the mysterious restaurant without a phone number nor sign. We arrived around 7pm and all of the 4 or so tables were full. The place is tiny. The owner came up to us and shouted "the wait is 2 hours" and quickly turned around and left before we could even respond. Since they don't take reservations, have no phone, and are rude to their guests, how on earth do they ever expect to survive once the newness wears off? I doubt any of us will return since the way we were treated left such a sour taste in our mouth. Anyone had a good experience?

Congratulations on your wedding! I always pick up beautiful dessert trays from Gelatiamo when I have parties. They have wonderful petit fours and miniature desserts that my guests have loved. Very affordable too.

Palace Kitchen (Downtown) Dragonfish (Downtown) Shea's Lounge (Downtown) Volterra (Ballard) Capitol Club (Cap Hill)

I used to really like these too. When I had them a month or so ago, they were not as I remembered. Very flat pieces of fish, not flavorful at all. The crust was like cracker crumbs and needed tons of salt (I like a more tempura-style batter). Have you been recently? I wasn't sure if they had changed or my memory had failed me. Probably the latter ← I haven't been in at least 6 + months. That's a bummer---sounds like they changed their recipe because I swear they were tempura battered fish & chips.

I like Maggie Bluffs (under Palisade) and the Brooklyn for Fish & Chips.

Wow, I wonder where they are getting wild boar? could it be farm raised and they are just calling it 'wild' boar?? ← I asked the same question. The waiter said the Boar come from Texas and are hunted via helicopter.

When I was there on a Sat night around 8pm, all of the seats in the dining room were full and it was definitely lively & bustling but we could still have a conversation without a problem. If you want something more intimate, there are 2 beautiful tables in each of the windows by the front door. That is my favorite place to sit. In the evening, the alabaster lighting glows and it's romantic. I saw a waiter bring out a bday dessert w/ a candle for someone so you might mention its your anniversary when you make a reservation. Prices are outstanding. Entrees range from $13-24. Their new addition to the menu is the Delmonico Steak prepared Fiorintina style. The waiter said it's the exact same steak that Jak's sells and I know from experience that it's a minimum of $10 more at Jak's. Their website has their menus on it. Not sure if it's updated witht he new ones yet. www.volterrarestaurant.com

Glad that you enjoyed your dinner. I am craving the Wild Boar---I just cant get enough of that dreamy sauce. I looked at the brunch menu they posted in the window. Looks great. I am planning to bring out of town guests on Satuday for the Chestnut flour pancakes topped with flambe bannas and chestnut honey flavored marscapone. My friends are pancake lovers so we'll see how they stack up.