FOOD NEWS: Dino's Tomato Pie Opens on Capitol Hill

Photo Credit to Alex Garland

Brandon Pettit, owner of Delancey and Essex, opened Dino's Tomato Pie on Capitol Hill! The new bar and pizzeria is on the corner of Denny and East Olive Way. Brandon is bringing his delicious pizza to Capitol Hill after having much success at his popular Delancey in Ballard.

The pizza is not the same as those served at Delancey. It is served square and with a thick crust. The name of the new pizzeria is an homage to a New Jersey pizzeria called Joe's Tomato Pie. I can't wait to try the pizza at Dino's!

Dino's Tomato Pie
1524 East Olive Way
Seattle, WA  98122

FOOD REVIEW: Manhattan

Over the weekend I paid a visit to Manhattan on Capitol Hill for dinner with some friends. Manhattan is located on 12th Avenue between Madison and Pike. As the name implies, the food is inspired by the east coast.

Manhattan has a craft cocktail bar that serves classic drinks as well as their own signature cocktails. I ordered a Salted Caramel Apple cocktail that was very tasty! It's vodka, apple liqueur, lime juice with a sweet and salty caramel rim. This cocktail was like drinking dessert! I loved the caramel around the rim of the glass, and it was the perfect combo to the taste of the apple and lime. The cherry in the glass was perfect contrast to the beautiful color of the cocktail. I also tried the Manhattan(2). It is a twist on the classic with rye, punt e mes (Italian Vermouth), peychaud's (bitters), orange bitter and served with an orange twist. Strong, but tasty!

Manhattan offers a good selection of food on their menu, from seared scallops, to fried chicken, to filet mignon. I went with the Grilled Duck Breast. This was served with grits, brown butter and sage, seasonal vegetables (carrots, asparagus, squash), and red wine sauce. The duck breast was beautifully served pre-sliced on an island of grits surrounded by red wine sauce. The duck was cooked perfectly. The skin was nice and crispy and beautifully scored. It was tender and juicy, and the perfect bite included the duck with some grits dipped in the red wine sauce! There was even some thought placed in the presentation of the seasonal vegetables. Cut to nice bite-sized portions and perfectly prepared.

As you can see from my empty plate, I thoroughly enjoyed my dinner!

 I really like the interior of Manhattan. We were seated in one of the booths located along the wall opposite the bar. There are tables through the middle of the restaurant, as well as tables with bench and chair seating near the front of the restaurant. The big orange wall behind the bar glows in the back light, as the rest of the restaurant is lit with different alternating vintage looking chandeliers. The decor is definitely chic, but comfy. On my next visit, I would love to just sit at the bar and try some of their other signature cocktails and some more of their delicious food.

Manhattan has two tufted walls with the others covered in patterned and textured wallpaper. The entrance to the restrooms is draped off with dramatic, heavy curtains.

Manhattan is also taking part in the Sunset Supper at Pike Place Market on August 15th. Check out my previous post about the Supper, or go to The Pike Place Market Foundation website for more info.

FOOD BLOGGER EVENT: Urbanspoon Surprise Saturday Supper at Terra Plata

Last night, as part of the International Food Blogger Conference (IFBC), we were treated to a Surprise Saturday Supper sponsored by Urbanspoon. The supper was one of 25 that were being hosted by Urbanspoon. Each supper was attended by 10-12 food bloggers, and they were located at 25 different restaurants throughout Seattle. I was asked by Urbanspoon to be the host of the supper I was attending. We were lucky enough to be going to Terra Plata on Capitol Hill! This is one restaurant that I have had on my wish list to try out for some time now, so I was very excited to finally be going there.

When we arrived to the restaurant and were seated, and we were treated to a signature cocktail from Terra Plata called the Seattle Rain Drop. To save myself from using the same adjectives like, delicious, tasty, amazing, great, outstanding and so damn good, I will not give individual descriptions on how each course tasted at the supper. I will list out each course with the pictures I took last night. But just so you know, each and every dish was delicious, tasty, amazing, great, outstanding, and so damn good!!

First Course
House Made Potato chips
Blistered Padron Peppers
Pate Campagne - mustard seed caviar, apple salad

Second Course
Day Boat Scallops - chanterelles, turnip greens, preserved lemon butter
Lamb Tartare - quail egg, mustard, mint, scallion soubise

Third Course
Heirloom Beans - shaved celery, onion, feta, preserved lemon-Aleppo dressing
Mokum Carrots - Vermont maple, black pepper, feta

Fourth Course
King Salmon - rackwell beans, braising greens, tomato, lardons, toasted fennel aioli
Roast Pig - chorizo, clams, hot smoked paprika, sofrito, bay scented potatoes

Fifth Course
Apple Cobbler

Seattle Rain Drop Cocktail

House Made Potato Chips - truffled sea salt, pecorino-chive cream
Blistered Padron Peppers - aioli, lemon, sea salt

Pate Campagne - mustard seed caviar, apple salad

Lamb Tartare - quail egg, mustard, mint, scallion soubise

Day Boat Scallops - chanterelles, turnip greens, preserved lemon butter

Heirloom Beans - shaved celery, onion, feta, preserved lemon-Aleppo dressing

Mokum Carrots - Vermont maple, black pepper, feta

 

Roast Pig, Chorizo, Clams - hot smoked paprika, sofrito, bay-scented potatoes

King Salmon - Rockwell beans, tomato, lardons, braising greens, toasted fennel aioli

Apple Cobbler

I had the privilege of meeting Linda di Lello Morton, the Co-Founder of Terra Plata. She was so nice and sweet. She told me about her restaurant, and I was happy to let her know that we all really enjoyed our dinner, and all of the food was amazing! I want to thank Urbanspoon, Terra Plata, Foodista.com, and the IFBC for organizing these amazing Surprise Suppers!

OPENING: Saint John's Bar and Eatery

Saint John's Bar and Eatery is now open on Capitol Hill in the space formerly occupied by Rosebud. Saint John's is brought to you by co-owners Val Kiossovski (of the band Kultur Shock) and Billy Gould (of the band Faith No More). Both are also co-owners of Solo on Queen Anne. The new bar and eatery opens for happy hour on Monday, February 20th from 2pm to 6pm. Joe Randazzo will be moving from Solo to take charge of the kitchen at Saint John's. Joe mentions he will offer brunch in mid-Spring. St. John's will offer more substantial food than Solo, and the menu will change seasonally.

OPENING: 8oz. Burger Bar

Just when you thought Seattle had enough burger joints, 8oz. Burger Bar is opening on Capitol Hill. Their grand opening will be Monday, January 16th. There will be a "soft" opening starting Thursday, January 12th. This new burger place is located in the old Tidbit Bistro space on the corner of Broadway and Union. The space has been completely remodeled. You can find out more info about 8oz. Burger Bar on their website.

OPENING: Altura Restaurant opens on Capitol Hill



Photo by Suzi Pratt

Eater Seattle reports the opening of Altura on Capitol Hill. Chef Nathan Lockwood, formerly of The Ruins Private Dining Club, and his wife Rebecca Lockwood have started service at their new Italian restaurant located on North Broadway. Altura Restaurant is open for dinner Tuesday through Saturday from 5:30 to 10:30 pm. Find out more information on Altura Restaurant at their website.

CLOSING: Tidbit Bistro

According to Nosh Pit News in the Seattle Met Magazine, Capitol Hill's Tidbit Bistro will be closing its doors on Saturday, August 27, 2011. Both owners, John van Deinse and Nicola Longo, are planning on moving out of the restaurant business. They opened Tidbit Bistro four years ago. They moved from their 10th Avenue location to Broadway on Capitol Hill last year. Stop in for a bite, and bid the owners a fond farewell!

REVIEW: Poquitos

On Friday I met up with some friends for drinks and dinner after work. We decided to go to Poquitos. It's a new Mexican food restaurant on Capitol Hill in Seattle that just opened last month. Poquitos is from the owners of Bastille in Ballard. They picked a great corner spot for their new restaurant. It is right in the heart of the bustling Pike/Pine corridor on Capitol Hill. This area is already well known for some other great restaurants and pubs. The interior of the restaurant is beautifully done with Mexican tiles on the walls to huge iron chandeliers.

Poquitos was already packed when we arrived. The circular bar was over-flowing with people enjoying some of Poquitos custom cocktails. We sat in one of the booths off the bar. I started with one of Poquitos drinks called an Alabanza (Tequila Manhattan) – Anejo tequila, Carpano Antica, mole bitters and angostura. This drink was very tasty! Good enough that I ordered another. It was garnished with a cherry on a stick.

For dinner I went with their Carnitas. The pork came with guacamole, cilantro, onions, lime, salsa verde, and they were served with beans and flour tortillas. The Carnitas were good and flavorful. There were a few pieces of pork that were pretty tough, but overall it was good. The serving size was just the right amount to fill me up. I was a little disappointed in the beans. They were pretty bland. I was hoping for some spice or flavor to be added to them.

 

FOOD NEWS: Pie Shops Top the Trend list for 2011

Move over cupcakes, there's a new tasty treat in town! 2011 will be the year of the pie. Andrew Freeman, of Andrew Freeman & Co., consults on marketing for restaurants and hotels nationwide. He predicts the number one trend of 2011 will be pie shops. Just how cupcake shops have been very popular over the past several years, now pies will be the next big thing.

It seems as if Mr. Freeman's prediction is right on the money. Seattle now has two brand new pie shops that just recently opened. High 5 Pie opened it's shop in the Trace Lofts building on 12th Avenue on Capitol Hill. Dani Cone, of Fuel Coffee, is the owner of the pie shop. High 5 Pie offers all types of sizes and flavors of pies. Their Piejar is a mini pie baked right in a mini mason jar! The Flipside is a handheld turnover for pie-on-the-go. They also have 7 inch and 9 inch pies. You can even take a pie home and bake it in your oven! They also have Piepops, which are pie lollipops! Find out more about High 5 Pie at their website http://www.high5pie.com/

The second new pie shop in Seattle is simply named Pie. It's located in Fremont at 3315 Fremont Avenue. Pie is co-owned by Jess Whitsitt and Renee Steen. This pie shop offers mini pies. Pie isn't your average pie shop. Jess and Renee bake sweet and savory pies. Their offerings include all sorts of meat pies, vegetable pies, ground turkey pie, a smoked salmon with goat cheese pie, and pies with sausages in the pie crust. They will also offer sweet pies. All pies are freshly baked between 7:00am and 3:00pm Monday through Friday, and 8:00am to 3:00pm on Saturday. Pie has a late night window for walk-up purchases. The window hours are 8:30pm to 2:30am on Thursday, Friday and Saturdays. So now you can grab a few mini-pies to take home for dessert after dinner.

If pies become as popular as the recent cupcake and ice cream shops, we just may see a few more pop-up around Seattle. Now go get some pie!

REVIEW: Ristorante Machiavelli

The other night I went to dinner at Ristorante Machiavelli. This is one of my favorite restaurants in Seattle. I have been here a dozen or so times. One of the many things I love about Machiavelli is the bar. The bar is tiny, and is usually filled to capacity with patrons waiting for their table. Machiavelli does not take reservations, so there is usually a wait for a table. I don't mind the wait. My friends and I will grab a glass of wine and wait in the bar. The bartender is always friendly and very attentive to everyone's needs. After waiting for about 20 minutes or so, our table was ready. To enter the dining area, you must walk up a set of stairs. The dining area is a pretty small room with about 15 or so tables.

Every time I have been at Machiavelli the service has been great. Right after we are seated, we are greeted by one of the servers with water and a basket of bread. Another server quickly arrives to go over the nightly special and asks if we would like some more wine. After briefly looking over the menu, we place our orders. I ordered one of my favorites, Chicken Picatta with a side of spaghetti with marinara sauce. I also ordered a mixed green salad to start.I love their salad. I get mine with Gorgonzola. The mixed green also comes with a beet slice, which I also love. Right after we are done with our salads, our entrees arrive. The Chicken Picatta is cooked perfectly. The lightly browned chicken cutlet is perfectly drenched in a sweet butter sauce with fresh lemon and capers. The chicken is tender and has perfect flavor. The spaghetti is a perfect side to this entree and hits the spot. We request an extra basket of bread to dip in our various entree sauces.

If you like good Italian food, I highly recommend Machiavelli. Be prepared to wait a while for your table. Just grab a glass of wine at the bar, and hang out with your friends. The wait is worth it!

The Calf & Kid

The Calf & Kid Artisan Cheese Shop just signed a lease in the new Melrose Project! Sheri Lavigne made the announcement last Friday in her blog. The Melrose Triangle Project consists of a triangular block of historic automotive buildings constructed in 1919 and 1926. The buildings are located in the west end of the Pike-Pine neighborhood. The Melrose Project will also include Sitka & Spruce, a very popular Seattle restaurant currently located in Eastlake.

I can't wait for The Calf & Kid to open its doors at its brand new location. I'll be sure to follow-up with another post after my first visit.

Bagel Deli

I went to the Bagel Deli on 15th Ave Sunday morning with my boyfriend for a breakfast bagel and some coffee. This was my first time going to the Bagel Deli and I was surprised to find the place empty. Especially on a Sunday morning. I ordered the ham, egg and cheese bagel with a vanilla latte.
I was really disappointed. The bagel taste just like the kind I would normally buy at Safeway or QFC, and I was not impressed with the ham, cheese or egg. I honestly would have rather had a breakfast muffin from McDonald's. It would have tasted better.

The vanilla latte wasn't all that great either. I would recommend walking down the street to either Victrola or Cafe Ladro. My latte barely had any vanilla syrup, so it basically tasted like a drip coffee. My boyfriend ordered "The Gobbler" turkey sandwich bagel as well as a bagel with cream cheese and strawberry spread. He said both were pretty average, but nothing that he would definitely order again.

I've heard a lot of people say that Seattle isn't really a good city for good bagels. I guess I would agree with that so far and continue on my quest for a good bagel sandwich. Any suggestions??

I give Bagel Deli 2 out of 5 bagels.

Palermo Pizza & Pasta

I have been to Palermo Pizza & Pasta tons of times, and in my opinion, they still serve one of the best pizzas in Seattle. I have never had a bad pizza from Palermo. They are always cooked just right. My favorite pizza is the Soprano, which has pepperoni, mushrooms and Canadian bacon. My favorite meal to have at Palermo is the Soprano, an Italian salad and a nice glass of Chianti.

I give Palermo Pizza & Pasta 4 out of 5 Pepperonis