Ratgirl

Did you guys know that Kerry Sear is a vegetarian? And yet his menu has a lot of meat/fish items. How does he know any of it tastes good if he doesn't taste it? He says he trusts the palates of his sous chefs. But it's his name on the marquee. The last dinner I had there was really good overall -- but it was a winemaker's dinner and there were VIPs and such there, which means that party got extra attention from the chef. But previous to that, I've had several not so pleasant experiences. I'd much rather go to Lampreia.

Get the coconut cream pie. Something with fish usually is a good bet, too.

Mmm. Dahlia Bakery. Get the coconut cream pie and the coconut macaroons, too.

Sorry, my bad. Yes, it's the Smith Tower. Century Ballroom is a good place for a big party.

Well, I wouldn't necessarily drive up just for the gelato. I would drive up to visit several places, though, such as Sun Sui Wah for the best dim sum and Vij's for Indian and Kintaro for the fatty pork ramen -- and then have gelato.

You must go to Mondo Gelato in Vancouver, B.C. There's one on Robson and the other is not far away on Denman St. It's a chain with locations in B.C., Italy, Berkeley and, of all places, Beijing. Visit them at www.mondogelato.com. This place is better than all the gelato shops in Seattle -- and I've been to them all.

The Chinese Room at the top of Columbia Tower is a fun place for a reception, though your party may be too large for the space. The view is dramatic. Lisa Dupar and Ravishing Radish are indeed good choices for caterers. Speaking of Tom Douglas, he does catering, too. Another option is to have the wedding at DeLille winery in Woodinville. They have this beautiful dining room above the cellar that has a gigantic, long wooden table. I attended a wine dinner there and it was quite lovely.

Caffe Umbria is great. You can find them at DeLaurenti's at the espresso bar as well as whole beans in the bag. Metropolitan Market sells the beans, too.