FOOD EVENT: Seattle Restaurant Week

The popular Seattle Restaurant Week is back! For 10 days, over 160 restaurants will offer three-course dinners for only $28! This is a great chance to try out some of those restaurants you've always wanted to visit. Many of the participating restaurants also offer three-course lunches for $15. Check out the website below for a listing of all the restaurants participating in Seattle Restaurant Week. Make a list of the restaurants you want to try, and get out there and eat! Bon Appétit!

Info: Website | Facebook | Twitter

OPINION: Can Specials be too Special?

One of my favorite joys in life is to go out to eat. Either at one of my favorite restaurants, or trying out a new place that has just opened up. Most restaurants will offer a special of the day or night, depending on your dining time. I like to hear what is offered as the special. Sometimes it is a fresh catch shipment of fish that was received earlier that day, or it's a one-time offering of the chef's favorite dish or new creation. More than half the time, I end up ordering the special.

Now there have been times when the server will start rattling off the specials, and they just keep going and going and going. I was at one Italian restaurant here in Seattle, and I swear the server listed half of the menu as the specials. Now like I stated earlier, a special should be something new, or a chef's favorite, or something that will only be offered for a limited-time.

This particular restaurant had two to three specials for each type of pasta they offered. The server was at our table for over five minutes going through the long, never-ending list of specials. Not only does a long list like that dilute the whole purpose of a "special", but the server had to waste so much time at each table describing each dish when they could have been helping other customers. The server could have just sat down and gone over the entire menu with us, because she basically did! I thought it was ridiculous that the restaurant had so many specials, and the so-called specials were just their normal dishes that are offered on their menu, so there really isn't anything "special" about them.

In my opinion, a good restaurant should only offer up to two specials on any given night. The specials should be something new, exciting and fresh! It shouldn't be something that is already on the menu. They are called specials for a reason. The next time I go to this Italian restaurant, if there will even be a next time, I will just politely tell the server that we do not need to hear the specials. We will just read them off the menu.

What do you think? Should a restaurant offer a huge list of specials, or are a couple just fine?

FUNNY: How to choose the best seat at a table

[Click to enlarge]

Alex Cornell offers a humorous and helpful diagram on how to choose the right seat at a table so you don't "get stuck next to someone that sucks." Alex explains that the 45 seconds you use to dertermine where to sit will also determine how enjoyable your next 2 hours will be. Alex created the above infographic showing various seating situations. Below are his descriptions for each:

4 Person Circle: This is the ideal setup. You are safe sitting in any seat. Regardless how interesting everyone is, you pretty much can’t go wrong. Note: as the diameter of the table increases, so too does the importance that you sit adjacent to someone you like.

4 Person Square: This configuration (as opposed to two chairs on each side) is less fraught with problems. Something to watch out for is diagonal conversations, i.e. breaking the into two parts and getting stuck with the more boring of the three tablemates.

6 Person Circle: How loud the restaurant is determines how important it is that you claim a middle seat. A quiet space allows for cross-table diagnoal talking, and generally one conversation. A loud space however forces multiple conversations and less diagonal.

8 Person Rectangle: To get one of the interior 4 seats, you need to time your approach expertly. You can’t be first, else you’ll be expected to file to the end. And you can’t be last, else you’ll be stuck with the least interesting seat at the table. Timing is everything.

7 Person Rectangle: It’s very easy to get screwed in this scenario. While it may appear like you can sit anywhere except the ends, this is not so. You are at risk of sitting next to the lonely end-seat, which requires you to speak soley to that person for the duration of the meal.

2 Tables of Any Size: You’re fucked. Regardless of how you time your approach, you will inevitably choose too soon. Lament as the other table’s attendance crystallizes into what is clearly the superior group. Sometimes it’s best to visit the bathroom while seats are chosen, so any seating disasters are the result of chance, and not your own miscalculation.

Check out Alex Cornell's website. Follow him on Twitter. Like him on Facebook.

RECIPE: Cranberry-Orange Scones

I pretty much like anything with an orange flavor, and these scones are no exception. This recipe combines the great flavor of orange with dried cranberries. These scones go great with a cup of tea or coffee, or just as a snack.

Ingredients
3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
Zest of 1 orange
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon salt
5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 cup heavy cream

Glaze
1/4 cup confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon orange juice

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Place sugar and zest in a food processor; pulse 2 or 3 times to combine. Add flour, baking powder and salt; pulse to combine. Scatter butter pieces over flour mixture and pulse until butter is incorporated with a few larger pieces remaining. Add cranberries and pulse once or twice, just to mix.

Transfer flour mixture to a large bowl. Pour heavy cream on top and stir with a fork until just combined; do not overmix. Line an 8-inch round baking pan with plastic wrap. Press dough into pan to form an even layer. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured countertop, carefully peel off plastic wrap and cut dough into 12 even wedges with a sharp knife. Place scones on baking sheets. Bake until light golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool scones on a wire rack.

Make glaze: Stir sugar and juice in a small bowl with a fork. Add more sugar to thicken or orange juice to thin if necessary. Drizzle glaze over scones and let stand 10 minutes to set.

Nutritional Information
Amount per Serving
Calories: 223
Fat: 12g
Saturated fat: 8g
Protein: 3g
Carbohydrate: 25g
Fiber: 1g
Cholesterol: 40mg
Sodium: 178mg

BEER EVENT: 2013 Washington Cask Beer Festival

The Washington Brewers Guild proudly presents the 2013 Washington Cask Beer Festival! For a complete list of all beers at the festival, check out the official website.

Saturday, March 30, 2013

Session 1: 12:00pm - 4:00pm
Session 2: 6:00pm - 10:00pm

Seattle Center Exhibition Hall
305 Harrison Street, Seattle, WA 98109

Tickets
$40 in advance
$45 at door if still available

The event is likely to sell out, so early advance ticket purchase is strongly recommended.

Separate tickets required for each session.

Admission includes a commemorative tasting glass and up to 25 beer tastes.

Designated driver admission is $5 and is available at the door only.

This ia a 21-and-over only event. A phot ID is required.

Purchase tickets online at:

FOOD EVENT: Eat | Drink | Eastlake

Eastlake's 1st Annual Eat | Drink | Eastlake is taking place March 28th at 6pm at the Tyee Yacht Club. Sample food from Eastlake's great restaurants, and wines from regional wineries. The event will also feature a friendly cocktail competition. Be a part of the best Eastlake has to offer!

EAT | DRINK | EASTLAKE
Thursday, March 28th - 6:00 - 9:00pm
Tyee Yacht Club
3229 Fairview Ave. E., Seattle, WA

Info: Facebook | Tickets

Participating Restaurants
Ravish - Facebook | Twitter
Little Water Cantina - Facebook | Twitter
Cicchetti - Facebook | Twitter
Blind Pig Bistro - Facebook | Twitter
Sushi Kappa Tamura - Facebook | Twitter

FOOD AND WINE: Taste Washington

This weekend is the nation's largest single-region wine and food event, Taste Washington! This event features over 225 wineries and over 60 restaurants from all over the state. Taste Washington offers the best experience to sample great food and wine all in one place. Two days filled with the best wine and food Washington has to offer! Check out the event's website for all of the participating wineries and restaurants.

Taste Washington
March 23 and 24, 2013
CenturyLink Field Event Center
2:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Tickets: One-day $80, Two-day $125

Event Info: Website | Facebook | Twitter

RECIPE: Quinoa Salad

Over the past several years, I have steadily been improving my diet and eating healthier foods. The first thing I did was cut out all processed foods from my diet. I went through my entire kitchen and boxed up all the processed food I could find. The next day, I took the food I collected and donated it to the local food cupboard. I replaced all of the processed foods with healthier choices. One of those choices was Quinoa. I love it!

Quinoa (pronounced /ki:nwa/) is a grain-like crop grown for its edible seeds. It originates in the Andean region of Ecuador, Bolivia, Colombia and Peru. Quinoa seeds contain essential amino acids like lysine and quantities of calcium, phosphorus and iron. It is considered superfood with a very high protein content. It is a good source of dietary fiber, and it's gluten-free.

One of my favorite recipes is for Quinoa Salad. This salad includes black beans, celery, red onion, and feta cheese. The one thing I really like is the spicy herb dressing for this salad. It includes garlic, dill, a jalapeno red chili, lemon and cilantro.

I have made this salad several times already, and it makes a great side dish to any healthy meal. I hope you enjoy the recipe.

Ingredients
1 cup of Quinoa (rinsed in cold water several times)
1 can of black beans (drained and rinsed)
3 stalks of celery sliced
1 small red onion chopped very small
2 cups of cold water
Cubes of Feta cheese

Spicy Herb Dressing
1 clove of garlic minced
1/4 of extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup of cilantro
1/2 cup of dill
1 jalapeno red chili
Juice of 1 lemon

For the spicy herb dressing, process cilantro, jalapeno red chili, dill, and garlic to a course paste. Slowly add the extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice to the spicy herb dressing. Mix until well combined, and then transfer to a bowl. Cover the bowl and refrigerate until needed.

Place the quinoa in a saucepan and add 2 cups of cold water. Bring to a boil over medium heat, reduce and simmer for 15 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Add the black beans, celery, red onion, and Feta cheese. Add the spicy herb dressing and mix well. Serve and enjoy!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

WINE: March is Washington State Wine Month

March is Washington State Wine Month! It is an annual celebration of Washington State's wines. Throughout the month, participating restaurants, wine shops, winery tasting rooms and hotels will be offering wine promotions. Check out the calendar of events at the Washington State Wine Commission's website.

Washington State Wine Facts
- Ranked the 2nd largest premium wine producer in the U.S.
- Washington State has over 750 wineries.
- Washington State has over 350 grape growers.
- Over 30 varieties of wine are produced in Washington State.

Leading White Varietals
1. Riesling
2. Chardonnay
3. Pinot Gris
4. Sauvignon Blanc
5. Gewurztraminer
6. Viognier
7. Semillon
8. Chenin Blanc

Leading Red Varietals
1. Cabernet Sauvignon
2. Merlot
3. Syrah
4. Cabernet Franc
5. Malbec
6. Pinot Noir
7. Sangiovese
8. Lemberger

Ratio of White to Red
55% White to 45% Red

Wine Production
12 million cases

Wine Grape Acreage
43,000+ acres

Record Harvest
160,000 tons in 2010

Info from washingtonwine.org

RECIPE: Ginger Orange Cashew Chicken

Ginger Orange Cashew Chicken

I used to receive boxes of fruits and vegetables from Full Circle Farm. They are the West Coast's leading organic produce delivery service. I put my membership on hold a few years ago, because at the time I wasn't able to consume everything I received, and I hated to waste any of the great produce. I even gave some away to friends. Now Full Circle offers more delivery sizes, so I think I will try it again with a smaller size. Plus over the past year I have been eating way more fruits and vegetables in my diet, so I think now I won't waste any of the delivery.

Full Circle Farm would include a newsletter with each delivery that contained information about the farm and recipes that incorporated some of the produce that was included in the delivery. I saved all of the newsletter, hoping to one day make some of the delicious recipes they included. I finally got around to making my first recipe from Full Circle Farm. It is for Ginger Orange Cashew Chicken. The original recipe called for Scallions, but I used Shallots. Next time I will try it with Scallions. The recipe also called for 1/2 cup of Soy Sauce, which at first sounded like a lot, and believe me it was a lot. Next time I will use only 1/4 cup of Soy Sauce and I'll make sure it's low-sodium. The 1/2 cup was just too much. I'm also going to add another orange to this recipe when I make it next. The one orange just didn't give it enough flavor, at least for me. Otherwise, this is a great recipe and I look forward to making it again with my minor adjustments.

Ginger Orange Cashew Chicken

All-purpose flour for dredging
1/2 cup roasted cashews
2 - 6oz. boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs cut into bite-size pieces
1 orange for juicing (I recommend 2 oranges if you like more orange flavor)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup chicken stock, or more as needed
4 scallions (white and green parts), cut into 1-inch pieces
1 Tbsp. finely minced ginger
1/2 cup soy sauce (I recommend only 1/4 cup of low-sodium soy sauce)
Steamed white rice for serving

Put the flour onto a plate or small bowl. Dredge the chicken in the flour and shake off the excess. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy saute pan over high heat until hot, but not yet smoking. Place the chicken pieces evenly distributed around the pan being careful to not splatter the hot oil. Let the chicken cook, without stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden brown. When brown, flip and cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes, toss in ginger, scallions and cashews, agitating the pan quickly for 30 seconds until the ginger becomes acutely aromatic. Add the soy sauce and squeeze in the juice of the orange. Toss the pieces to cover all with the sauce. Pour in the chicken stock and add more if necessary to almost cover the chicken. Cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, or until the sauce thickens slightly. Pour the chicken and sauce over rice and serve.

(Original recipe by Kenny Shopsin, from 'Eat Me: The Food and Philosophy of Kenny Shopsin')

OPENING: Peddler Brewing Company

Peddler Brewing Company is opening in Ballard on March 8th! As you can tell by the name and the logo, the owners of this brewery are really into bikes. The brewery will feature 8 taps with a few rotating seasonal taps. They also plan to have a guest tap or two of other WA state brews or ciders. If you ride your bike to the brewery, they will have an indoor bike rack that holds 9 bicycles. They will also have a bike tune-up station to make any repairs to your bike.

Find out more info on Peddler Brewing Company: Website, Facebook, Twitter

FOOD EVENT: Dine Around Seattle

 

 

Dine Around Seattle is back and runs March 3 - 28, 2013. This event gives diners the opportunity to try some of the areas best restaurants. From Sunday through Thursday throughout the month of March, you pay only $30 for a 3-course dinner that includes a starter, entree and dessert. Some restaurants are offering a 3-course lunch for only $15. Check out the Dine Around Seattle website for all the info, and for a listing of all the participating restaurants.

TASTING EVENT: Hop Scotch Beer & Scotch Festival

This weekend is the Hop Scotch Beer and Scotch Festival! It is the premier beer, Scotch whiskey, and wine tasting experience benefiting the Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF).

For all of the details on the event, visit the Hop Scotch Beer and Scotch Festival website, like on Facebook, and follow on Twitter.

Friday and Saturday, February 22 and 23, 2013.
Fremont Studios, 155 N. 35th St., Seattle, WA 98103
Friday: 5:00pm to 12:00am
Saturday: 2:00pm to 12:00am
Purchase Tickets Here

FOOD EVENT: The Seattle Wine and Food Experience



This Sunday is The Seattle Wine and Food Experience! It's billed as the premier showcase for wine and food in the Northwest. Sample food and wine from some of the best restaurants and wineries in the Northwest. For all the info and details about the event, visit the website, like on Facebook, or follow on Twitter.

Sunday, February 24, 2013
12:00pm to 5:00pm
Seattle Center Exhibition Hall
Tickets: $55.00 at Brown Paper Tickets

FOOD NEWS: James Beard Foundation Announces 2013 Semifinalists

The James Beard Foundation announced today the semifinalists in the 2013 Restaurant and Chef Awards. The state of Washington was well represented in many categories. Below is a listing of the semifinalists from Washington State. The finalists will be announced March 18, 2013. You'll have to wait until May 6, 2013 for the winners of each category.

BEST NEW RESTAURANT
Shanik - Seattle
The Whale Wins - Seattle

OUTSTANDING BAR PROGRAM
Canon - Seattle

OUTSTANDING CHEF
Maria Hines - Tilth, Golden Beetle, Argodolce - Seattle

OUTSTANDING PASTRY CHEF
William Leaman - Bakery Nouveau - Seattle

OUTSTANDING RESTAURANT
Canlis - Seattle

OUTSTANDING RESTAURATEUR
John Howie - John Howie Restaurant Group - John Howie Steak, Seastar Restaurant and Raw Bar - Bellevue

OUTSTANDING SERVICE
Café Juanita - Kirkland

RISING STAR CHEF OF THE YEAR
Mark Bodinet - Copperleaf Restaurant at Cedarbrook Lodge - Seattle
Chris Weber - The Herbfarm - Woodinville
Blaine Wetzel - The Willows Inn on Lummi Island - Lummi Island

BEST CHEF: NORTHWEST
Chris Ainsworth - Saffron Mediterranean Kitchen - Walla Walla
Renee Erickson - The Whale Wins, The Walrus and the Carpenter - Seattle
Jason Franey - Canlis - Seattle
Nathan Lockwood - Altura - Seattle
Ethan Stowell - Ethan Stowell Restaurants - Seattle
Jason Stratton - Cascina Spinasse - Seattle
Rachel Yang and Seif Chirchi - Joule, Revel - Seattle

Congratulations to all of the semifinalists! What a fine group representing the great state of Washington. I wish you all the best of luck!

You can view the entire list of semifinalists from around the country at the James Beard Foundation website.

RESTAURANT NEWS: Pioneer Square Reinvented

It looks like 2013 is the year that the Pioneer Square neighborhood is brought back to life. There has been a lot of buzz about some of Seattle's well-known chefs and restaurant owners who are looking revitalize Pioneer Square by opening new stores, restaurants and cafes.

E. Smith Mercantile - Owner Jessie Poole plans to open E. Smith Mercantile in the former Wessel & Liberman Booksellers location. The opening date is set for early April 2013. Poole's concept for the Mercantile is based off of a mercantile from her Grandfather's home town in Idaho. The front of the shop will be the mercantile that offers home goods, apparel, gift items and antiques. The back of the shop will be a small, craft cocktail bar. The bar will serve top-shelf booze, and Jessie will be making her own bitters for the cocktails. The bar will also serve small plates.

The Lodge Sports Grille - The Lodge currently has two locations. One in Kirkland and the other in Mukilteo. Their newest location will be located at 166 S. King Street, just north of CenturyLink Stadium. The Lodge features 56 beers on tap, and they have HD TV's to catch the game. I'm sure this will be a popular spot for Mariners, Seahawks and Sounders fans before and after each game.

Rain Shadow Meats - Russell Flint plans to open another butcher shop in Pioneer Square. Flint's current shop, Rain Shadow Meats, has had success since it opened in the Melrose Building on Capitol Hill. The new butcher shop will open sometime in February.

Il Corvo - Italian for "the crow", Il Corvo moved from its original location on the Pike Place Market Hill Climb to its new location at 217 James Street. The new location opened in January, and it has extended its hours from its previous location; M-F 11am-5pm. Chef and owner Mike Easton will still serve his popular homemade pasta.

Gaba Sushi - The first sushi restaurant in Pioneer Square, and the first in Seattle to use GABA rice, opened its doors back in December. Located at 220 First Avenue South, Gaba Sushi is open weekdays from 11am-3pm. GABA rice is a sprouted brown rice rich in amion acids.

Tinello - Rudy LaValle and David Hahne team up to create Tinello. Tinello means "a dinette, or a small, casual eating spot with an open kitchen." The Italian restaurant is set to open sometime in mid-February. It is located at 314 Second Avenue South, near King Street Station. The menu will focus, of course, on lots of pasta, and it will feature Mediterranean and southern Italian cuisine.

Bar Sajor - Chef Matt Dillon, owner of Sitka and Spruce and The Corson Building, is opening Bar Sajor on Occidental Avenue in Pioneer Square. Chef Edouardo Jordan, from Sitka and Spruce, will be in charge of the kitchen. The kitchen itself will not have a stove. WHAT?! Yes, the stove-less kitchen, Dillon says, will have a wood-fired oven, and a fireplace with a rotisserie. The bar will serve cured fish, rotisserie chicken and vegetables.

London Plane - Chef Matt Dillon teams up with Marigold and Mint owner, Katherine Anderson, to open London Plane. Dillon's second project in Pioneer Square will be located in the old Bank of America space. London Plane will be a bakery that will supply Dillon's restaurants, as well as be open to the public with a retail space for baked goods and a cafe.

Indigene - Katherine Anderson's seconed project in Pioneer Square will be Indigene, which will house a retail space, bookstore and meeting space.

South Lake Union saw a huge surge in new restaurants and cafes, due to Amazon.com moving its headquarters to the neighborhood. It sounds as if these chefs and business owners hope to have the same neighborhood revitalization success in Pioneer Square.

RESTAURANT NEWS: Skillet owner plans to open two new restaurants

Josh Henderson, owner of Skillet Street Food and Skillet Diner, will be opening not one, but two new eateries! One will be called Westward, which will feature a seafood menu prepared by chef Zoi Antonitsas, formerly of Madison Park Conservatory. The second will be called Little Gull Grocery. The grocery will also sell beer and wine, as well as, have a small oyster bar.

The new restaurant and grocery will be located in a former catering building on north Lake Union. This location currently has a large dock that Henderson hopes will be used by boat traffic to visit his new projects. Henderson also mentions a large outdoor patio to take advantage of the beautiful Seattle skyline across Lake Union. The openings are set for sometime early Summer.

I'm really excited for this project! Josh has done an excellent job with both Skillet Street Food, and with Skillet Diner. I hope this project is just as successful! I'll be looking forward to having some good food and a cold beer on a warm summer day out on the patio.

REVIEW: Cafe Parco

Recently I paid a visit to Cafe Parco located in Madison Park. This location was previously known as the Madison Park Cafe, until Chef and Owner Celinda Norton, formerly of 94 Stewart, purchased the Cafe and re-opened it as Cafe Parco. Her idea was to serve Modern Italian, versus the French cuisine that was prepared at her former restaurant.

If you've never been to Parco or its predecessor, Madison Park Cafe, it might be a little hard to find. It is located in Madison Park on 42nd Avenue East, a block off of East Madison Street. It's located in a charming little house. The main seating is in the living room and dining room of the house. It's quite cozy with a fireplace. The decor is nice with white tablecloths and lamps on most of the tables.

The service is great. The servers are very knowledgeable of the menu and of the specials. I ordered the Lemon Chicken. It's described on the menu as morsels of chicken breast, mushrooms, sun dried tomato with bold essence of lemon, overly creamy Alfredo and Tagliatelle with a bonus layer of ricotta and spinach. The dinner was delicious. The chicken was tender and juicy, with just the right amount of lemon. I would highly recommend this dish if you make it over to Cafe Parco. The menu has a number of dishes that sound very tasty. I will definitely make another visit to try one of the other dishes.

Cafe Parco serves dinner after 5:00pm every night, and Brunch on the weekends from 10:00am to 3:00pm.

TV SHOW: The Layover

Anthony Bourdain's show, The Layover, makes a stop in Seattle in tomorrow night's episode. Check out his quick tour of Seattle's best food and drink on The Travel Channel at 10:00 PM Pacific.