malarkey

I think the mushrooms are called Eryengi or something like that. Killer good.

Try drizzling a little Peach Schnapps into that whipped cream...

Palisades: its been awhile, but I swooned over the banana macadamia nut sourdough pancakes with apricot butter and real maple syrup. I didn't need anything else even though I ate more. They also make a damn fine Waldorf salad. Then, after eating off the buffet, you have the option of ordering off the menu. *bloat* its possible to OD there. Cafe Campagne: One of my sentimental favorites. I adore this place, the weekend brunch dishes are fabulous and I love to indulge in a couple of champagne cocktails over a leisurely breakfast. IMO its best to go early, they open at 8am, and while it might be painful to get up that early on a Saturday or Sunday, parking can be had right in front and there's no waiting for a table. And there's something really decadent about having champagne at 8am. Boat Street Cafe: Nice atmosphere, and 3 or 4 different benedict dishes on their menu. Yes yes I know all about ordering hollendaise in a restaurant. Go early and minimize the risk ;-) the closest thing I've found to the old (and dearly departed) Illiterati. How I miss the Eggs Florentine. *sob* Let's mourn another dearly departed breakfast dish: The crab & rock shrimp cakes with roasted red pepper remoulade at the Coastal Kitchen. Why oh why did they take that dish off their menu? The Dish: good down home breakfasts served in a diner atmo. Gargantuan lines if you wait till mid or late morning.

Try some of the different mushrooms they have at Uwajimaya. I've been getting off on these ones.. good god I can't spell it but I know 'em when I see 'em. They are white to light tan, with big stems and small caps. They cook up incredibly well, holding their texture through lengthy cooking times. gawd they are good. And I adore shittakes too. I've tried some of the 'other' vegetables: chinese broccoli, chinese mustard greens, both really good. I also buy the jarred sauces, the Lee Kum Kee garlic black bean sauce is killer good. Also LKK makes the best oyster sauce IMO, be sure to buy the "premium" one. I love going there, I can stare at all the stuff for hours.

if you need them to hold for 20 minutes, maybe take them off the heat and put them back on when you only have ~10 minutes left... I can make them hold by putting them on super low heat and stirring every now & then. They don't last long this way though, so i like the idea of adding a bit of cream or butter just before serving. maybe could even add fresh chopped herbs at this last minute too. Thyme is one of my faves in mashers.

a summer ripened beefsteak tomato with salt & fresh ground pepper. gawd. the season is just too short for me. clotted cream. brioche. mashed potatoes. a perfectly ripe avocado.

I don't know.. bubble tea is pretty popular here among the non-asians. but maybe its only temporarily popular, since its somewhat faddish. I had my first taste of bubble tea about a month ago. Very filling, mine was a fruit juice bubble tea, with probably about 20 pearls at the bottom of the drink. BTW, I looked those suckers up and they are ~100 calories for 7 pearls. We're talking calorie bombs when you consider all the fruit juice in those things. I couldn't finish my drink, I was full when it was only 1/2 gone. yowza!

I'm dying to go here now you guys. maybe I'll get lunch to go one of these days.

While not technically a 'wine shop', I do love to go to Pete's just off of Eastlake. Very knowledgable staff, and a killer-diller selection of wines. Good prices too.

Yes, its Malarkey resurrecting a long dead topic. BURGERS! That's because y'all didn't discuss it enough ;-) I do like Red Mill, the Phinney location. BUT, I sigh when I remember Green Lake Jake's, now dead & gone for several years. real fries, (by that I mean not frozen) burgers juicy and huge, and shakes to die for. Daly's. Now, its been awhile since I've gone here, and its somewhat seedy and the help lets the panhandlers hang in there, but they did, or still do, have some really fine burger fare. Fries always piping hot, burgers thick with great toppings, you can sit & look out at Lake Union. Two Bells. Great burgers, drawback: no fries. The Pumphouse: on 8th in Bellevue. used to be a seedy bar, now is cleaned up, non-smoking and still serving those great burgers. real fries here too. Burgermaster: will do it in a pinch. still ranks over Dick's in my mind, foodwise. I think its maybe because of the romance of a drive up. "Dine in your car!" Fat Burger: Redmond: had it, it didn't make me crazy for more. Diner Burger Award: goes to the Woodinville Cafe. Crinkle cut fries, even though frozen, hold a special place in my heart. IMO, there is a shortage of great burger spots. Green Lake Jakes was the epitomy of that. Or, am I missing something somewhere???

Sahalee is east of Redmond, so your close choices would be Kirkland, Redmond, Bellevue or Woodinville. Cafe Juanita is a fine choice, as would be the Third Floor Fish Cafe in Kirkland. Herbfarm is fantastic, but it requires ressies way in advance and be prepared to pop ~$250 per person for a 9 course all night dinner (includes wine with each course). The food is blissful, and he (jerry traunfeld) also uses all northwest ingredients. Barking Frog might be a good choice, although I've not eaten there yet, its right next to the Herbfarm. I'd save your sushi craving till you get downtown, and go to Shiro's. Try to sit at the counter. Or, as a couple other people have suggested, Flying Fish. Its a great example of Northwest/Asian fusion cuisine. Have the softshell crab appetizer, mmmmm! oh, btw, I thought Snoqualmie was the town used for Twin Peaks...

I have to respond to this because it really made me laugh. 1. Gotta agree about "Roons" How the fuck did this guy get a job? He's painful to watch, and I'm sorry, but the Italy travel show sucks. Mario, babes, you gotta change that. 2. Bobby "booby" Flay: Somebody whack this guy. He's the most arrogant piece of shit existing. And the sidekick Jacqui. Has anyone ever read her bio on foodtv.com? here's a piece of it: "Sage advice: I am a big fan of pâté de foie gras. However, when traveling in Paris and eating in Michelin three-star restaurants be sure you understand what you are ordering. I like my pâté with cream, cognac and truffles; what I got was a gigantic piece of hot duck liver that looked as though it was still alive. There's not enough vintage Margaux in France to get me to eat that. " Please tell me she got fired for making that statement. 3. Gordon Eliott: Agree. 4. Ming Tsai: Agree. 5. Alton Brown: Agree. 6. Wayne Harley Brachman. Now, I like this guy. He's so Jewish it drips off of him. But some the funniest lines on the whole channel have been from him on Melting Pot. Sara Moulton used to work for Julia Child on her TV show. Jamie Oliver: man, I can't believe you didn't comment on him...

gawd, wouldn't it be great if Food Network would rerun some of those old cooking shows?? They do show old Galloping Gourmet eps late at night but lordy, I can't watch 'em. Graham is just unbearable, IMO. Way too annoying. But old eps of Julia would be fabulous, I'd love to see the old Floyd shows or the Justin Wilson shows. "jist take some own-yowns..."

Hi Everyone.. Wow, sushi places I've never eaten! Imagine that! I'm intrigued by the descriptions of both Shiki and Mashiko's. What is omakase? I gathered its where you let the chef whip you up.. whatever according to what he thinks is best? Sounds incredible. I love and adore sushi, but am still a neophyte to it since I have no idea what omakase is. I just eat whatever ;-) Haven't had uni yet, would only try if its empirically fabulous. why? I don't know. does it taste 'more of the sea' so to speak? I don't know why I wouldn't like it, since I do eat oysters. crazy for sweet shrimp. someone said they had it still twitching ;-) I think I need that experience. I'm glad I stumbled across eGullet. Seems like a fabulous forum. malarkey