It is a nice place, nice atmosphere and interior, nice idea, average service, nothing special really. The concept is an Americanized French bistro, the so hyped cured meats (not made in house or anything like that, just imported) and cheeses are beautiful but do not require any preparation or imagination - just cut and arrange on a plate; I am not going to a restaurant to get that, I am perfectly capable of cutting my own cheese and buying my own salami. We came recently for a very late lunch on a Saturday and ended up in the restaurant during happy hour – we ordered some cheese bites which to my surprise materialized to be a cheese toast cut into four bite size pieces, the duck rillettes that had a nice flavor (my husband said he thought it was way too salty) but the portion was so big it was very difficult for the two of us to finish, the frites came in after a long long time and they were actually cold and we had to send those back and wait for new ones after we were almost done with everything else. As a compensation we got some the Gougeres (little cheese puffs) which were actually nice. Overall a very hyped and anticipated restaurant that does not deliver. The main word that comes to mind is boring.
Via Tribunali in Seattle – Review October 7, 2009
Another Seattle pizzeria chain certified by the Verace Pizza Napoletana Association. It is less casual then the previously reviewed Tutta Bella and hence slightly more expensive. The pizza is good, tomato sauce is delicious but for my taste there was a tiny bit too much of it and not enough of the Bufala mozzarella (one more slice would have been a very welcome addition). Overall the place is very nice (we went to the Queen Anne location) but was absolutely deserted on Sunday night.
Big John’s PFI August 17, 2009
This is a good specialty food store located south of downtown Seattle with a large selection of bulk dry goods and spices, a large selection of imported olives by weight though for me the main attraction is the huge selection of cheeses!!!
There are also some cans and jars – canned tomatoes and sauces, jams and jellies, pasta and bulk chocolate, some oils and vinegars too. I think it is a very good store, especially the cheese selection which is, to be honest, is a bit overwhelming because you want so many and can buy so few due to the minimum weight restriction – minimum of 1lb or 1/2lb if the price is over $20/lb.
WWW: http://www.bigjohnspfiseattle.com/index.html
Address: 1001 Sixth Avenue South, Level B, Seattle, WA Tel: 206 682-2022
Tutta Bella Certified Neapolitan Pizza in Seattle – Review August 17, 2009
Apparently such a certification exists outside Italy and was given to Tutta Bella which has a few locations in the Seattle area. The pizza is fresh with thin crust and good quality toppings, it is very good and so are the desserts. Recommended!
The Shrimp stand near Deception Pass August 17, 2009
I’ve heard about this place but didn’t know where it actually was nor have I ever been to Deception Pass until recently…I found this road-side Sseafood and BBQ stand without even looking for it – a large gathering of cars and people on the side of the road near a little white shack drew my attention the moment I saw it :)
For those of you who are in the area and want to plan ahead, it is located on HWY 20 when you go south-west towards Deception Pass park on the intersection of Deception road approximately in the middle between lake Campbell and Pass lake (look at the map…) .
The BBQ looked and smelled great, so did the various versions of fish/shrimp/oyster and chips but the main attraction is the freshly boiled spot prawns, small and pretty and incredibly fresh. They are sold by weight (about $4 or $5 per pound) with the option to add cocktail sauce for a $1. You take those with you tot he beach and indulge :)
Club room @ the Pro Club July 22, 2009
I had gift certificates for dining at the club room, I wish I never used them…the food was horrible, there is no other, more gentle, way to describe it! At first I ordered the pasta with asparagus and shrimp – I took a bite of the asparagus spear and it was absolutely tasteless as if it was defrosted two minutes ago and no seasoning (not even salt) was in the vicinity, I opted for the shrimp but as soon as I lifted it closer to my nose I realized it reeked and I sent it all back. Since we were already there and my husband’s burger was on the table I figured it was a safe option so I asked for one as well; it took a long time to actually get it and after I tasted my husband’s I was sorry I actually did – it was like eating a tasteless piece of dry cardboard. No need to mention I didn’t eat mine really…ok, I ate the fries that came with it.
Redmond Farmer’s Market on Saturday July 22, 2009
I was pleasantly surprised that the Redmond farmer’s market is actually a very functional market with quite a few vendors who are there to sell their produce, why? I have visited a few markets here in the area and found them to be more of a gimmick where “artisans” sell their products demanding ridiculous prices for things that are really not that special – in Issaquah I was amazed by the smoked salmon guys who charged about 5 times higher a price than smoked salmon costs in a store, I understand its a small business and its local and yada yada yada but seriously..? Five times the price??? So I was very happy to find out that the market in Redmond had a lot of produce (think Zucchini flowers & english peas) including organic produce as well as cheeses, breads, cakes and multitude of jams and sauces. I was also happy to find some of my childhood favorites not found in abundance in this area, Gooseberries and Red Currants, yum!
Will gladly go again!
The place for chocolate and the place for drinks April 20, 2009
There are two places I have visited this weekend and want to recommend :) I had no opportunity to start sharing my Seattle area food experiences though I moved here over a month ago but I really want to try and catch up…
So…an incredibly great place to come for drinks with an undisturbed view of Lake Washington, on the east side, facing the sunset (obviously) is the Beach Cafe in Kirkland – the view is a million dollars! I do not know anything about the food but a glass of wine or a beer at this place are bound to set you in a good mood.
Address: 1270 Carillon Point, Kirkland Tel: 425-889 0303 ext. 4
WWW: http://www.ybbeachcafe.com/
The second place is a paradise for chocolate lovers, especially those who value good quality chocolate, it is a small store on Queen Anne avenue in Seattle called Chocolopolis. Whats so good about it? a large selection of chocolate bars from different countries, quite a few are dark chocolate from single origin beans, as well as a small counter with a nice selection of truffles both local and foreign. Oh, yes…there is hot chocolate too :)
Address: 1527 Queen Anne ave. N., Seattle Tel: 206-282 0776
