malarkey

yes. it was several years ago, but I remember bright fresh interesting flavors and a menu where you just can't decide what you want because everything sounds/looks great.

Can I be your friend?

heh, you too. My fish taco wasn't spicy at all, all the spice was in the salad dressing. But it was still a really boring fish taco. The fish tacos at Pier 66 are WAY better. (or at least they were last time I was there) What's up with the 74th/Hilltop crew? Did they lose their good food person?? I've had some divine food there in the past, and I hate to think they are permanently on the slide...

Au Bouchon?? Are you talking something local, lastsupper?! I'm dying to go to Matt's in the Market (yes, that's right, I've still not been) and Harvest Vine (not been there either). A sad situation that needs to be corrected.

I think you mean consomme or piroshke, surely. Surely ! god, that's hilarious. I can identify with Wilfrid's post about buying something healthy only to have it sit around and go bad. I'm guilty of that one. For the most part though, I seem to be better about this. I do have multiple jars of jam in my fridge that probably should be carefully examined. And of course there's always leftovers from making recipes that call for a tablespoon of THAT and you have to buy a whole jar of THAT to get that tablespoon. Those can last up to a year or so in my kitchen. I might even have some items that have had birthdays. maybe even more than one. The S.O. is even worse about this. we'll buy fabulous things over the weekend, eat part of it and by the time I come back the following weekend, its still there starting to turn green. I often wonder what the hell he eats all week that those things get ignored. He is the poster child for leaving food out overnight too. "Oh whoops, forgot about that"

what would that word be?! I have no idea. I would charge myself as guilty re: food snobbery. While I don't say anything, or convey these feelings to others, I do think them. I'm quietly horrified by what people will and will not eat. People who eat the cafeteria pizza daily at work. That stuff is VILE. People who are picky eaters. "Oh, I don't like pepper..." (I saw that person send something back in a restaurant because it had black pepper in it) Meanwhile, I have visions of Big Night dancing in my head and how the chef(s) are reacting to someone sending a dish back because it has black pepper in it.

The best beer brewed in America is Diamond Knot IPA brewed in Mukilteo, Washington. And you can't get it where you live.

yes. Rover's does not have a dress code. Most people do dress nicely though.. but I have seen jeans in there. Not jeans and a tshirt & sneakers, mind you, but jeans with a nice pair of shoes and a nice pressed white shirt, yes.

Wow Suvir. You know, this spoke to me about a recent experience I had. Or, I should say, it caused me to see that food experience in a different light. I agree- the host & the environment shape the experience.

I have a good story about the Bellevue Med Kitchen. I appointed myself cultural director of my group and decided they needed their culinary horizons broadened ;-) So we all went to lunch at Med Kitchen ;-) One guy told me the next day his wife made him sleep on the couch. Apparently garlic is NOT a regular part of their diet. When I took them to Sea Garden and they turned up their noses at the crab with ginger & green onion, and complained about the cost, I resigned as cultural director. They are a hopeless lot. and, IMO, Med Kitchen has gotten a bit high with their prices. The Farmer's dish is now $17. its just chicken wings!! c'mon!!

great thread. I've lived here for 17 years and yes, the scene has changed dramatically since then. I feel like Seattle has a great restaurant scene evolving. my god the choices we have now compared to then are astounding. --And I agree with Girl Chow, I don't want to see all of the higher end places moving to "jacket required" status. I love that one can eat at Rover's or the Herbfarm in jeans, or dress up, the choice is yours. I think that is part of what makes us unique. Rover's has been here for quite awhile, over 12 years as far as I know. The first time I ate there was in 1990. It was a regular menu then, Fat Guy. Oh, you also should know that Rover's offers a selection of tasting menus, there's usually 3 or 4 you can choose from, not just one like the Herbfarm.

I tried 3 of their champagnes just recently while down in Napa. Lovely. And, so is their place. We sat outside on the front veranda and looked out over the hills surrounding while tasting champagne and nibbling some cheese as the sun slanted low in the sky...

Illiterati. Ooo the eggs florentine... And I'd like to mourn a section of a restaurant... anyone remember when Cafe Campagne had its glass cases full of delectible foods just waiting for you to take home?? Gawd, the herb de provence pan fried chicken.. the fig tart... ooh. Cucina Fresca (in the market, also with glass cases full of tantilizing goodies...)

steamed broccoli stir fried with smoked salmon. no seasonings. truly awful. I can't imagine what was in this person's mind to make this dish.

excellent mb7o!! You did everything I love to do over there. Lateral A, El Ranchito (btw, their cheese enchiladas are the BEST) and a bit of tasting. I'm going September 22nd. Can't wait.

I've not really sought it out at too many places in Seattle (this is a VERY midwestern dish) but I had a great chicken fried steak at Larry's Greenfront in Pioneer Square. Its on the menu for breakfast and dinner ;-)

oh, that could work for me in a large way. I've been aching to sample the doughnuts there... *sob* I actually had a 'free birthday dessert' card from Tom Douglas that I didn't use during my birthday month :-( maybe I shouldn't mention that here on egullet I might get ejected from the club...

Tallen's story is sooo good. But I like lamb's story too. back in the days when braces were bands around each individual tooth they cemented on, I managed to un-cement one of them while eating nachos. Other than biting tongue, cheek or fingers (hasn't everyone done those?) Oh and you are not alone about crusty baguettes leaving one 'mouth-sore'. It doesn't stop me either.

Finally FINALLY I had a sammy from Bahn Mi 88 today for lunch. The guy told me that they'll soon be having hot foods available too, once their little kitchen is all finished. I had the combo with chicken and pork. For some reason I was thinking these were hot sandwiches. ?? Nonetheless, it was quite tasty, and jeez, what a bargain!! I can't believe they can sell them for that cheap! So.. did I have the right thing? What else should I try? Maybe I'll dig through those old bahn mi posts...

Hmm. Well, as someone who has eaten at both Cascadia and the Herbfarm a couple of times, when it comes down to the food on the plate, I gotta say the better food came out of Jerry Traunfeld's kitchen. Pretty vitriolic post Steve Klc. Who put ants in your pants?! I never really thought much about the dog & pony show, I guess I was there for the food and didn't really let that get in the way of my having a good time. ;-) It takes a lot to wreck my buzz, and I was too goddam excited about eating there to get cranky about the 'show'. the cancellation policy at the HF is such that you are charged *if your place(s) cannot be filled by the night of the reservation*. People here know that you can call the HF and inquire about cancellations a day or two in advance. Tables are almost always filled again. The 'reservation fee' is annoying, I'll agree with that. BUT would it stop me from going? hell no. Speaking of policies, at Cascadia, if one person at the table orders a tasting menu, all people at the table must have a tasting menu. He won't mix 'order off the regular menu' and 'tasting menus' at the same table. I think a lot of people like having wine paired with the food. Especially when you are talking about 9 courses. In the restaurants where you choose your own wine to go with a 9 course menu, most people end up with a a bottle or two that only kinda/sorta goes with most of the dishes. Unfortunately for southern girl, the wine wasn't to her liking that night. Both times I've been there the wine was fabulous. Besides, since when do chefs give a damn about "customer service policy"?? Bourdain bitches and moans about the customers and threatens going postal on the dining room during the rush. Well, maybe pastry chefs care ;-) I think its a shame that you'd let something like that get in the way of eating fabulous food. I don't let ANYTHING get in the way of eating good food. It would take the owner/chef personally insulting me for no good reason to keep me away ;-) Hell, maybe it would take more than that!

no kidding?! well woohooo! I can believe that yummy toms can come from here, but our mild summers usually don't bode too well for certain varieties. I must pencil this event into my schedule... I just like going to Yakima in September ;-) and eating yummy mexican food and gathering peppers and tomatoes and other lovely things for putting in my freezer. I've had some great tomatoes this year, don't know if they were local or not. I suspect the heirlooms in the finer grocery stores are from Calif??

Actually I think the best peach I had this year was a white from a batch that came into Thriftway just before Peachorama. When Peachorama started, the Pence were spectacular. I find that as its continued, the peaches aren't as dazzling. They are delicious, but not that just-picked-warm-from-the-sun taste, melt in your mouth sweet that they were in the beginning. I've also had incredible donut peaches. I don't know who warned who about them but please never accept blanket statements like that!! Peach quality depends on when they were picked at what stage of ripeness. Even the best peaches only reach that spectacular moment briefly.

yum yum I gotta agree with the assessment. I had the roast chicken at Le Pichet this spring and found it to be fabulous, and yes, would say its the best chicken dish I've ever had in a restaurant. I usually don't order chicken when I eat out, I tend to order things I wouldn't/couldn't make at home that easily. But the chicken there has a rep so I tried it and wasn't disappointed. Mine came with the armagnac sauce. really great!

one of the best salads I've ever had was at the Herbfarm. It was one of the courses, and it was only greens, nothing else, lightly dressed, and every single leaf tasted different. It was amazing. That being said, its been ages since I've had a really good Cobb. Who makes one?! I adore them. MsRamsey, think about the Herbfarm for your special night out ;-) its a lovely dining experience.

IMO if you want good tomatoes you must drive over to Yakima and get them there. Along Lateral "A" you'll find a bunch of vegetable stands and lots of them sell tomatoes for ~$5 a flat. They are always better than what you find over here. Make a day of it and have lunch at El Gallito ;-)