hhlodesign

1. Pork Cheek Sandwich from Salumi 2. Porchetta Sandwich from Salumi 3. Braised Tofu Sandwich with avacado from the Baguette Box 4. Midnight Cuban Sandwich from Paseo 5. Drunken Chicken Sandwich from The Baguette Box 6. Eggplant Grinder from Matt's in the Market 7. Blacken Salmon Sandwich from The Market Grill 8. The Almost Thanksgiving Sandwich from The Capitol Hill Internet Cafe and Eatery 9. Roasted Pork Lion with apricot aoili from The Baguette Box 10. Lamb Prosciutto with goat cheese and fig jam from Salumi Honorable Mention - The Beef on Weck from Buffalo Deli, Fennel Sausage Sandwich from Salumi, The Ham and Cheese Baguette from Le Panier, Curried Tuna from Boat Street Cafe, Portabello Grinder from Matt's in the Market, any of the daily specials from Macrina

Porchetta sandwich from Salumi in Seattle. Maybe the best sandwich ever!

If your friends are fans of Nobu, Nishino trained at Matsuhisa in LA. Nishino is better. Get the omakase. Nishino is the same price as Saito and Shiro's. I also like Saito.

I can't disagree more. You can't judge a place by what they serve at the bar. Their bar menu is much different than the dinner menu. Although there are some great things on the bar menu as well (did you try the lamb burgers?!) I've had some wonderful Champagne cocktails at Veil, one with a pear puree and one with lavendar honey. The dinners I've had were very interesting and tasty. (See my writeup in the Farwell and Welcome section.) I did notice that the stemware is all Reidel, and the plates I was served my dinner on were definitely not from C&B! Anyway, all I'm saying is to go in for dinner. The restaurant portion of the place is a much different experience than the lounge.

If you are referring to "La Rho" (literal translation = spicy meat) the smoked pork belly specialty from the Hunan region, a classic Hunan preparation is stir fried with ginger, dried chiles, leeks, carrots, and bamboo shoots. A dash of soy and black vinegar and we're in business. I was taught how to make this from an old family friend from Hunan. He still smokes his own La Rho (at 86 years old) He used to own a place called Old Hunan Restaurant in So Cal decades ago. Its a great and simple dish!

It seems I have gotten my information wrong. Turns out the "Lobster and Caviar" was taken off the menu for no other reason than the fact that lobster mushrooms were reaching the end of the season and were not up to the chef's standards. Its too bad because it really was a fabulous dish! Looks like I may have to retract my opinion about the sophistication of the Seattle dining public. That being said, go try Veil! I'd love to hear other opinions of the place.

Somethings you have to sacrifice for.

I've been looking for good Szechuan / Hunan Chinese food in Seattle. So far the only place that does a decent job, in my opinion, is Seven Stars Pepper and Szechuanese. For other non-Cantonese fair I like Rocking Wok and Malay Satay Hut. But for REAL spicy Szechuan food, I'm at a loss. Any other suggestions?

I can't remember the recipe, but I do know that for great dry-fried string beans (gan bien shu gi do) you have to pre-deep fry the string beans before you stir fry them. Oh, and don't omit the ground pork. That makes a big difference in my book. One more thing, as many BTUs as you can muster.

A hot wok is the key to good stir fry. Normal home ranges only put out up to 16,00 BTUs. Get yourself a propane tank and fire element from the hardware store. This can put out up to 30,000 BTU's close to what good Chinese restaurants use. Oh, and I'd recommend using this outside.

I know quite a few people who have state they will not return to Mistral because of this particular server. He is no longer with Mistral. If he was the only reason that you choose not to return, you should really give it another chance. I know first hand that the current front of house is one of the best in the city. And the food is too good not to give it another chance!

Have no fear of Elemantal. Here's the secret. Show up after 10pm on a weeknight. Let Phred serve you the 3 course menu+wine pairing. I think it came to $42 total! That's including everything! They refuse to take tips! Expect to stay till midnight and take a cab home. You'll have a wonderful time!

Just to be clear, the menu was written something like this (from memory, so paraphrasing a bit): "Lobster and Caviar" Lobster mushroom bisque with a seared diver scallop and beluga lentils. Also, although I agree that it is using a similar wordplay as the french laundry, the chef used to work there. Not sure if that makes it OK or not. But in my mind, it makes it more acceptable. Speaking of Alinea and the topic of this discussion. Do you think a place like Alinea, minibar, or el Bulli could make it in Seattle. Personally, I am not sure they would find an audience here. This is what I mean by the statement you pointed out.

Here's an example of what I mean: The "Lobster and Caviar" I refered to above has since been taken off the menu. It seems that too many people are ordering it and sending it back to the kitchen when it arrives with no lobster or caviar in it. I should note that the menu description says exactly what is in the dish. While this kind of wordplay is fun and inventive at a place like the French Laundry, it didn't quite go over very well here in Seattle.

I've eaten 3 meals at Veil now. It is really quite an exciting new venture for the Seattle market. Shannon Galusha is in top form. Very interesting menu with some playful options. "Lobster and Caviar" is a lobster mushroom bisque with a seared diver scallop and Beluga lentils. I loved the play on words and it was quite tasty as well. There is a starter item of Kobe beef cheeks which is one of the best dishes I've had all year! It is served with a confit of tomatoes and a white sauce I believe to be creme fresh based. The next best dish I've had all year is the peanut butter and jelly foie gras. It is served as a mini foie gras burger on a peanut butter base and "dots" of jelly sprinkled around the plate. One the the most creative ways to serve FG that I've seen. He is also serving a seared tuna entre with some handmade pasta and a pesto reduction that is simply wonderful. Desserts are very fun and interesting. The peanut butter ice cream is a must try. As is the grilled pineapple with coconut sorbet. One of my favorite things about Veil is the wine list. It appears to be over 100 nicely selected bottles and I'd guess over half are under $40. There are a few service issues that need to be worked out. As expected with any new restaruant. The room is simple and nicely designed. Lots of white with pink and amber accents. I particularly enjoyed the communal dining table. It makes for a nice place to grab a meal alone without feeling like a barfly, or meet new people. Hopefully, Seattle is sophisticated enough to understand what they are trying to do with this place.