Discovering La Carta de Oaxaca

As a new resident of Ballard, I have been making an effort to try many of the great restaurants and bars in my new neighborhood. The more I walk around, the more I find! For a foodie like myself, this reality is both fantastic and a little dangerous! One location I hadn't tried until yesterday was La Carta de Oaxaca. I had heard great reviews from my wife and acquaintances and once I discovered Anthony Bourdain ventured to Oaxaca, I placed it at the top of my dining “to do” list.

Approaching Oaxaca I thought my wife and I would have to wait a while, as every seat appeared to be full. Thankfully, we were able to sit at the “chefs” bar which overlooked the action in the kitchen. Watching the women work in Oaxaca’s kitchen explained how we received our delicious chicken mole so fast! Each individual has clearly mastered their role and churns out delicious plates of food every few seconds. One individual’s sole role was making their delicious home made tortillas and her efforts provided me with a delicious vehicle to transport my chicken mole and rice.

The food at La Carta de Oaxaca is simple, light and delicious. From the chips and guacamole to the mole, there was one common theme; freshness. It was nice to enjoy a margarita, chips, guacamole and chicken mole without feeling I needed to take a nap. This reality likely explains why the space was packed. La Carta de Oaxaca appears to have a diverse fan base spanning from young to old. Without a doubt, they have one more fan after my experience last night.

Are you Eating Local?

This evening I was invited by “Frantic Foodie” Keren Brown to join the Seattle Food Bloggers at the Queen Anne Farmers Market. After a few introductions and my quesadilla in hand, the bloggers ventured to Eat Local at 2400 Queen Anne Avenue N.

Eat Local offers hand-made, high quality meals ranging from appetizers to desserts in 1, 2 or 4-6 serving sizes. Although there is wine, dairy and dry goods available, most of owner Greg Conner’s products are frozen to maintain flavor. In addition, the items are packaged in either biodegradable or reusable packaging, which is a refreshing sight.

In the process of perusing the shop and admiring the available cuisine, Conner kindly offered us various treats from his shop. After enjoying a Queen Anne's Plum Bar, Thundering Hooves Farm Sausage & Onion Pizza, Smoked Salmon Pizza made with Loki salmon and several Caramelized Onion Canapés, I can attest the flavors are preserved by the freezing process!

Greg Conner and his staff have done a fantastic job creating healthy, locally focused meals for busy lifestyles. For those who don’t have time to venture to the top of Queen Anne, home delivery is also available. There is really no excuse for not eating local!

Maple Bacon at Voodoo Doughnuts

Last weekend I finally had an opportunity to experience one of Portland’s most talked about doughnuts at Voodoo Doughnuts. I had heard about their creative combinations for a long time and after Anthony Bourdain made his visit I was determined to check it out. Like many locations in Seattle, Voodoo was easy to locate by the line that spilled onto the sidewalk.

After waiting in line for nearly an hour at Salumi earlier in the week, I was prepared to wait if I had to. Thankfully, the line at Voodoo moves pretty quickly and it helps if you have cash in hand, as they do not accept other forms of payment.


The menu at Voodoo is pretty overwhelming and humorous to say the least. Among the Tex-ass, Memphis Mafia and “dirt” doughnuts are others with more colorful titles. I highly suggest reviewing their website for titles, descriptions and pictures of their creative masterpieces. In the end, I stuck with the item that intrigued me in the first place; the maple bacon doughnut. As a fan of the traditional “maple bar” since I was a child, I only imagined how the addition of a delicious pork product would increase my enjoyment. For me, a quality maple bar requires a fresh base and fresh, quality maple icing. Voodoo’s maple bacon creation had both. In addition, the bacon was perfectly crispy and provided a pleasant salty balance to the maple sweetness.


As I basked in maple-bacon bliss, it dawned on me one could essentially have a complete breakfast with a slight modification! Imagine the maple bacon doughnut acting as the “bun” for a couple fried eggs! It would be like having pancakes with maple syrup with a side of bacon and eggs! Add a coffee back and your day has begun!

Foodportunity!

Several days ago I discovered a fantastic event being held on July 22, 2008 called Foodportunity. Seattle food blogger Keren Brown is hosting and organizing the event and I have been provided with an amazing opportunity to assist her! Keren has been organizing the Seattle Food Blogger events for the last two years. Every month she helps bloggers create lasting contacts and connections. Keren's food events information can be found at Frantic Foodie at SeattlePI.com, FranticFoodie.com and at MyNorthwest.com. Below are the details on this unique event and I encourage anyone passionate about food to attend!

Seattle, June 8, 2009: The inaugural “Foodportunity,” a networking event for Seattle food professionals, will take place July 22, 2009, from 6-9 pm at Palace Ballroom in downtown Seattle.

Tom Douglas, awarded National Restaurant of the Year by Bon Appetit magazine & James Beard-award nominee, will provide his Palace Ballroom facilities to host the event, organized by Seattle food blogger Keren Brown. It will feature appetizers from Seattle's most talked about restaurants, the chance to network with food company representatives, a panel discussion on the topic of new media, as well as a “speed networking” event for the first 40 people to sign up.

The Q&A session on new media will be lead by editor Mina Williams (Northwest Stir) and will feature several of Seattle's best-known writers and bloggers: Nancy Leson (Seattle Times), Rebekeh Denn (formerly of the Seattle PI), Matthew Amster-Burton (Hungry Monkey) and Ronald Holden (Cornichon).

Appetizers will come from several sources, including Tom Douglas' restaurants along with a line up of Seattle gems such as Rovers, Andaluca, Olivar, Art of the Table, Dinette, Maximus Minimus and Serafina. Columbia Crest and Vin Du Lac wineries will pour their wines and other beverages will be available for purchase. A range of food products will be on display.

Foodportunity is open to food journalists, bloggers, public relations professionals, restaurateurs, farmers and all food-passionate people. Admission is $25 which includes bites and two glasses of wine (plus tax and fees). Tickets are available at brownpapertickets.com. Space is limited. Palace Ballroom is located at 2100 5th Avenue in downtown Seattle. More information at www.foodportunity.com.

Birthday at Barrio

Since its opening, I have had Barrio on my Seattle restaurant "want to try" list. To celebrate my birthday my wife and I finally made our way to Heavy Restaurant Group’s new establishment on Capitol Hill. As a sibling to Purple Café I expected good food and large furniture. With that said, it is clear consistency is a strength within the company.

After reading about the unique micheladas in a recent Seattle Metropolitan article, I was determined to quench my thirst with one of these concoctions. Given the fact that it consisted of a cool Sol beer married with lime juice and house made sangritas in a salt rimmed glass, the Seattle heat was turned up a bit. To say the least, it was interesting. Our server indicated it was an acquired taste, which may be true. Perhaps it takes four or five to really get in the groove.

Barrio’s menu is littered with an abundance of tempting offerings. We chose to start our meal with the seared sea scallops with sautéed mushrooms, asparagus, English peas, dry-cured chorizo and sweet onion crema. The scallops were cooked perfectly and gave the scallops discovered at Market in Napa, CA a run for their money! My wife opted for a taco trio (served with delicious house made tortillas), which consisted of the smoky pork shoulder, seared king salmon and house made chorizo. The ancho-achiote rice and drunken beans added additional depth to the unique and flavorful selections. Seeking a robust entrée to accompany my pepper infused beer, I felt the braised short ribs were a sure bet. They were presented in a simple manner with grilled asparagus, poblano chile, caramelized onions and tortillas. As I finished the last morsel on my plate, it was clear they let the sweet and tender meat speak for itself. Delicious!

Being my birthday, we were surprised with a plate of churros made in house (of course). Never in my life have I had a churro as warm or as tender as those presented to us. As a perfect accompaniment to the sugary sensations, a macchiato cup filled with slightly sweetened molten chocolate was provided for our dipping delight. Although I was stuffed prior to desert, I could not help but become fully enveloped in churro bliss.

Barrio has officially made it to my “must try” list. The staff is friendly, the location is great, the drink menu is creative and the food is fantastic! It is a great value as well!

Jimi and Java at Muse Coffee Co.

Starting today, Muse Coffee Co. on Queen Anne is offering a little Jimi with your java. Jimi Hendrix that is. Owner Brent Martin’s contemporary and inviting space now features a selection of Jimi Hendrix photographs by Nate Naismith of Far Sighted Images in Olympia. As the first Seattle display for Far Sighted Images, Naismith chose to predominately display a series of photos taken at Seattle Hendrix performances in 1968 and 1969. These are definitely one of a kind and are displayed beautifully in the space. Three additional pieces of Naismith’s are also on display and reflect the diversity within his photography portfolio.



The exhibit at Muse will run through the end of June. I highly recommend swing in to see Brent for a pastry, some java and a little Jimi!

Kick Ass Barbecue in Ballard

In an effort to satisfy my weekly pork quota, I decided to take my father to another potential gem in the Ballard dining scene; Smokin’Pete’s BBQ. Claiming to have southern-style “kick ass barbecue in the heart of Ballard,” I was intrigued and optimistic we would discover some delicious creations.

If you are unable to find an appealing option at Smokin’ Pete’s, begin to question your hunger. Their Smokin’ Pete’s dry rubbed barbecue is available in several fashions; plated with optional sweet potato cornbread or fresh made hushpuppies, stuffed in an Essential Bakery organic baguette with your choice of coleslaw, potato salad, cowboy beans or “dirty rice,” or you can opt to take “just the meat.” Other appealing items at Smokin’ Joe’s include a catfish po boy, a slow dog (slow pulled pork topped with a hot link) and the all natural Pete’s burger.

In a the mood for the classic combo, we each opted for the “Slow Joe.” With a significant amount of Carolina-style pulled pork heaped on the deliciously fresh baguette, I questioned whether the remainder of my afternoon was going to be a bit on the slow side. The meat was extremely tender and its all natural character was apparent. I also enjoyed playing with the trio of sauces (original, hot and Thai) available on the table. Unaware my sandwich would be accompanied by a heap of coleslaw I opted for more as my side. However, I was able to steal some cowboy beans from my father and they were a nice accompaniment.

I am pleased Pete’s has chosen to “kick ass” in my neighborhood. I will be sure to revisit and try their other intriguing selections. Perhaps next time I will also wash everything down with one of the alcoholic selections they have on hand. A Red Stripe perhaps?

Delicious Rhubarb Solution

With rhubarb season upon us, I just became the proud recipient of twelve cups of rhubarb! Luckily I have a recipe that enables me to make use of it and please stomachs simultaneously. So far, my favorite rhubarb solution is the Rhubarb Ginger Galette. Naturally, this dish pairs perfectly with vanilla bean ice cream or coffee and eggs in the morning.

Hash House A Go Go - San Diego

The experience my wife and I had at Hash House A Go Go was well worth the forty-five minute wait. Besides, coming from Seattle, waiting in the San Diego sun was perfectly fine with us! Once we sat down at the bar I knew we were in for a treat! The bartender was chruning out drinks ranging from tall iced down cocktails flooded with vodka and liquor to frothy, marshmallow cream topped (and torched) s’mores mochas!

Impressed and amazed I witnessed several patrons ordering the pancake; a single pancake the size of a charger served on plate the size of a serving tray. Simply unbelievable. Needless to say, I did not witness anyone conquering the massive ensemble. Massive is an accurate description of everything at Hash House. I opted to try the wild boar hash and was delighted I did. The heap of boar meat was served over an even larger pile of country-style potatoes with two fried eggs, a softball size biscuit and a slice of watermelon. The fresh fruit macerating on the bar was a delicious accompaniment for the scone too.

If you are visiting San Diego, Hash House A Go Go is a must! Take advantage of the portions! If done properly at breakfast, you will not have to eat until dinner!

It's Spring and Copper River Salmon Has Sprung!

The additional sunshine Seattle receives this time of year and the arrival of Copper River salmon reminds me summer is approaching and fresh produce will soon be pouring into the city. While strolling through the Pike Place Market is enjoyable and entertaining, the Seattle Fish Company offers the same fresh fish outside the downtown core. I have found their prices to be more competitive as well!

Seattle Fish Company’s original location is in West Seattle at 4435 California Ave SW. A new location was recently added in the Freemont neighborhood and they consistently provide excellent products and friendly, professional service. Items available range from salmon to halibut cheeks. Various wines are also available to pair with the vast selection of seafood on hand. Some of the frozen items also available include Maine lobster tails, Caribbean lobster tails, razor clam meat, calamari steaks and whole octopus! If the overwhelming amount of seafood makes you indecisive, the friendly staff is happy to help.

This evening I seized the opportunity to acquire some wild Copper River sockeye for a Salmon Provencal recipe I have been enjoying many months. The salmon was superb; flakey, moist and rich. The high fat content synonymous with Copper River salmon emerged beautifully and provided sheer gastronomic pleasure. Pay the extra money and treat yourself to one of the simple pleasures life has to offer. This salmon will be gone soon!