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6/6/2010 First Look: (new) Marjorie It was a couple years ago that I heard the news that Marjorie in Belltown would be closing. The building had been sold and the new owners were taking both the stationary store and the Marjorie space and converting it to one large restaurant. The space is now filled by Buckley's. At the time I remember thinking that Marjorie's owner, Donna Moodie, didn't sound really confident about finding another location and reopening, although those were her stated plans.
Well three weeks ago I found my concerns were totally unjustified. The new Marjorie opened in a sleek, light-filled spot on Capitol Hill. Smaller than the old location with only 40 seats, this new place is bound to become one of Capitol Hill's new hot spots. TS and I stopped by on Friday night and luckily we arrived shortly after the 5:00 pm opening or we would not have found a seat. Their website says they take some reservations but I'm guessing those will fill fast. This summer (if it ever arrives) seating will expand with the opening of a great little outdoor patio.
 The kitchen is sort of half-open with part of it visible from the bar and dining room, but all of it can be seen through the big windows that face the sidewalk. Open shelving houses plates, cookbooks, and kitchen tools as well as the liquors behind the bar.
 We sat at the bar and I was reminded how much staff and service can affect your experience in a space (restaurateurs are you listening?). Our bartender that night, Ben, was friendly, helpful and attentive. His recommendations were right on. We would have enjoyed the evening in any case as the food is wonderful but great service added a lot.
TS started with wine but I opted for a cocktail. My Rye Manhattan was deliciously crafted and beautifully presented. The wines are presented in small carafes, which is a trend I'm seeing across many restaurants and I personally love. While we were looking over the menu a woman farther down the bar was served a bowl of fried plantains. Immediately we decided to start with our own order and that was a great choice!
 Thinly sliced lengthwise the gracefully curled chips filled a large bowl. The plantains were crispy and not a bit greasy. They come with a pineapple and avocado salsa. The pineapple is first grilled to a light char, chopped into small pieces and then formed into a small tower along with the avocado and tomato. It inspired me to start grilling my fruit.
 We followed the chips with the pizza, topped with house-made ricotta - so smooth! When it's out of the oven thinly-sliced prosciutto and a light green salad finish it off. Perfect summer eating. Light, but full of flavor.
We finished with a limoncello olive-oil cake, roasted strawberries and pistachio mousse. I don't think we'd actually planned to order dessert but when we read that description on the menu we had to try it. The plate was finished with pieces of praline and fun strawberry sauce "drops". I loved the cake and the mousse. The roasted strawberries were interesting. Not that they were bad but I so love the fresh, spring taste of strawberry and I missed it a little. I imagine the roasting concentrates the flavor and can help a less than perfect strawberry taste riper. Personally, I'd wait for the gorgeous local berries that will be in market soon and make this dish with fresh berries. But that's a small nit in the scheme of things.
 I really like the new airy location. I almost hate to write about it since I think seats will be hard enough to come by as it is and once it's on the city's radar it may be next to impossible to find a seat. But the new Marjorie is too good not to share.
Marjorie
1412 E Union between 14th and 15th Avenues
Capitol Hill
206.441.9842
 6/5/2010 Tuscan Rosemary Lemon Drop As promised, the recipe for the Tuscan Rosemary Lemon Drop that was so popular at my recent cocktail party. Please note, as I forgot to, that the rosemary sugar needs to be prepared a few days in advance.
All recipes adapted from Kathy Casey's Sips & Apps.
Rosemary Sugar
Mix together than spread on a rimmed baking sheet. Set in a warm place for about 4 days or until rosemary is dried. Process in a food processor until finely ground. Can store in a tightly sealed container for one month.
Fresh Lemon Sour
Make simple syrup by bringing the sugar and water to a boil. Stir to ensure the sugar is completely dissolved into the water. Remove from heat and cool. When cooled measure the amount of syrup. It should be about 1½ cups. Squeeze the same amount of fresh lemon juice. Mix the lemon juice with the syrup and store in the refrigerator.
Tuscan Rosemary Lemon Drop Place some of the rosemary sugar in a flat, rimmed plate, slightly larger than your cocktail glasses. A small pie plate may work. If desired, run a lemon around rim of glass and dip in the rosemary sugar. Pour into as shaker:
Shake vigorously, and then strain into glass. Garnish with a fresh sprig of rosemary, if desired.
6/4/2010 New Farmers' Market: GeorgetownThe brand-new Georgetown Farmers' Market is opening this weekend! The operating hours are 10:00 am - 3:00 pm, starting Saturday June 5 and running through September 25. This market is run by the same folks who manage Ballard, Madrona and Wallingford so the vendors and format will probably be similar. In fact, Georgetown will also have a focus on non-food items as a flea market is going to be part of the setup.
The Georgetown Farmers Market is located on the grounds of the original Rainier Brewery, 6000 Airport Way S in the Georgetown District, between the General Offices building and the old Malt House.
6/3/2010 First Look: Luc The very first thing I need to tell you is that I am an investor in Luc. A very small investor but still, an investor. When Thierry Rauturaeu offered a way to help him raise funds for this new place, I jumped on it for a couple of reasons. First, I love Rover's and was very excited that Thierry was planning to offer his amazing food in a more approachable format - a place that I could frequent on a regular basis. Selfishly I wanted to support that effort. Additionally, the Chef in the Hat, as Thierry is often called, is one of our amazing local chefs who frequently contribute time, materials and their names to support local non-profit organizations and fund raisers. I often marvel at the effort these chefs put in supporting and helping others. I saw the investment as a way I could support someone who has been generous in this way. Okay, that's my disclaimer. Now to my experience.
Unfortunately for me, I missed the pre-opening events Luc held for investors so I had to wait for the bistro to open to the public. Because so many people had been anticipating the opening I wanted to hold off a few days for the first wave of hysteria to settle down. Last Monday a friend and I stopped by around 8:00 pm thinking by that time the after work crowd would be on their way. There were several open tables but they were being held for reservations. The small bar overlooking the kitchen was packed with diners just starting their dinners, and the bar was also jam-packed! I was so happy to see the place full on a Monday night. After just a short wait a couple places at the bar opened and TS and I grabbed them.
 I started with a cocktail, the Lucatini, and she had a glass of Prosecco. My cocktail was beautifully executed and delicious! While we were looking over the menu we ordered the Grilled Beef Skewers appetizer. By the time we were ready to order our main course the appetizer had not yet arrived. I asked the bartender about it and he was borderline condescending with his response. I decided to let it go since I knew they were still in their ramp up stage but I did think the bartender could have been more gracious with his comments.
We ordered the special sandwich of the day which was open-faced pulled pork. It arrived before our appetizer. I guess I should have followed up on my initial inquiry... No matter that it showed up first, it didn't change the wonderful, smoky, tender taste or the perfectly, crispy fries that came along with it.
 After a couple bites of our sandwich the beef skewers appeared. They were also very good, tender and juicy, topped with egg salad, which was interesting. I didn't really think the egg salad added much but I didn't mind it was there, either.
We decided to go all out and ordered the Butterscotch Crème Brulèe for dessert. It had a nice heavy, crunchy, sugar crust and the crème was delicately butterscotch and dreamily creamy.
Somewhere in there we also ordered a 1/2 carafe of house wine. Wilridge Winery has created a Luc blend - both a red and a white. And the prices are very reasonable. In fact, all the wines are reasonably priced but the house wine is an especially good bargain with the 10 oz 1/2 carafe coming in at $10 and the full carafe at $20.
 I really wish Luc was in my neighborhood but even located where it is, you'll find me stopping by on a regular basis. And that would be true whether I'd invested or not. I look forward to them getting their timing perfected so that appetizers arrive prior to entrées, and it seems they may need to tighten up their timing on reservations as most of the reserved tables that were empty when we arrived were still empty when we left. But that is something that will come with experience. Diners at Rover's tend to linger longer than at most places and that's this group's experience to date. Luc will come into its own rhythm in a few months.
If you've been to Rover's expect a different experience here. Casual; welcoming and warm (not that Rover's is not); an a la carte menu; a little boisterous, though not overly so. In the summer there will be sidewalk dining. I expect there will be a lot of "regulars" as it seemed that was already going on after just a couple weeks. A neighborhood hangout, that's still good enough for a special occasion.
Luc
2800 E. Madison
Madison Valley
Seattle
206.328.6645
 6/2/2010 Memorial Weekend Cocktail Party When I planned the evening and as I sent out the invitations I imagined a late spring evening and, hopefully, the opportunity to start the party outdoors on the deck. I had no illusions that it would be warm enough to spend the entire evening outside but the thought of being outside, enjoying the flowerpots spilling over with flowers and foliage, and the light scent from the climbing rose carrying across the yard brought a smile to my face.
Over the years, wine has become my standard beverage of choice for parties. It's easy, there's no prep work other than the purchase and by selecting a few options I can generally find something to please everyone and normally at a decent price. But I love cocktails! So, for this party I decided to keep the group small, pick a couple of "signature drinks" for the evening, and make sure there were some interesting no-alcohol options for those who preferred. It would be a true cocktail party!
  The dozen or so friends began arriving at the designated time. I'd prepared and assembled ingredients for two cocktails, Tuscan Rosemary Lemon Drops and Poppy's Margarita, a spicy rendition of the traditional drink, both from Kathy Casey's recently published cookbook, Sips & Apps. I'd printed out recipes (after pre-combining a few of the ingredients) so that each person could make their own cocktails, although T was drafted into making the first several for all the earliest arriving guests. (Thank you, T!)
 I chose the Lemon Drop recipe because 1) it used Limoncello in the recipe, which I think makes a really great Lemon Drop and 2) because I had several bottles of homemade Limoncello which were ready to be enjoyed. Margaritas made the cut because they are, for me, the perfect summer drink even though I can't drink them. Tequila and I do not get along very well. I'm always jealous of friends who can enjoy them, though. That evening the Lemon Drops proved to be the most popular choice. I'm currently polling my friends to see why that was as the little, tiny sip of Margarita that I had seemed very good. I think it's going to come down to the fact that several people tend to stay away from tequila for a variety of reasons.
With a smaller group I was able to be a little more extravagant with some of the appetizers - both in terms of what was served and in preparation time needed to make them. With smaller batches I can spend a little more time on more intricate recipes. Still, most of these came together in a jiffy. I did all the cooking (including making the cocktail sweet and sours) in one day.
 As usual, I had many new items on the menu. Several were very good, a couple just okay. Overall there was something for everyone and I was pleased with the evening. With the smaller group I was able to really participate in the party, which was very nice.
 Cocktails
both from Kathy Casey's, Sips & Apps
Appetizers
I'm hoping to do a few of these smaller parties over the next few months. And maybe next time the weather will cooperate, too!
5/15/2010 Seattle Cheese Festival I stopped by the Seattle Cheese Festival this morning. It's smaller this year than in past years. Nicer, really. More focus on local cheese-makers, although worldwide is still represented. The crowd seemed to be smaller then in past years, too.
It runs today until 5:00pm and tomorrow from 10:00am - 4:00pm. 5/6/2010 Tidbits: Miscellaneous items of interestLately, my mailbox seems to be brimming with news releases. I've picked a few things to share that Seattleites may find interesting.
Openings
Two new places are opening tonight and both are on my list of "must get to soon!"
Luc
Many of you are probably familiar with Rover's, Thierry Rautureau's gorgeous dinner house in Madison Valley. His new venture, Luc, a more casual café and bar located just a few steps from Rover's. I'm very excited for this opening. The more casual setting will make the Chef in the Hat's wonderful food much more accessible on a regular basis.
Luc
2800 E Madison
Madison Valley
Seattle
206.328.6645
Pinxto
Pinxto has moved into the former home of Txori which (sadly) closed a few weeks ago. It sounds like they will have a similar style and since the new owners were regulars at Txori I'm expecting to feel right at home the first time I visit. They have promised "Spanish-style tapas with a northwest flair."
Pinxto
2207 2nd Ave
Belltown
Seattle
206.441.4042
Giving Back
A few ways you can help non-profit programs in our area.
Stamp Out Hunger - Postal Carriers Food Drive May 8th
This Saturday you can leave bags of non-perishable food by your mailbox for pickup. About a week ago you should have received a blue bag in your mailbox. All you need to do is fill it and leave it by your mailbox by 8:00 am and the carriers will do the rest. It's a pretty easy way to do some good!
Via Tribunali and Caffe Vita Sponsor "5 @ 5" Starting May 12th
This is multi-date promotion taking place on 5 Wednesdays starting May 12th. The events feature free Margherita pizzas and $3 Peroni beer. The proceeds from beer sales will benefit a different biking organization each week and the events are held at a different Via Tribunali location each week. It's not as confusing as it sounds! You can get full details and information on the Via Trib blog. Here's the schedule and the organization which will benefit each week:
Other Events of Interest
A couple of other things that look interesting or fun. They are actually both benefits, too
KCTS Cooks Light and Healthy
I have to admit that I generally cringe at recipes that fall into this category. I generally think that if you are cooking well, with good ingredients your menus and meals will balance themselves out and you won't have to really worry about "light and healthy". Still, I know it is something we should all be aware of. As often happens this is a fund-raising program for KCTS, although you are not required to contribute. The fun part of this program is that most of the presenters are "normal" people - home cooks - with good ideas and skills. It's a chance to see that you don't need to be a chef to create wonderful food. Having said that there will also be some demonstrations by professionals.
The program first airs on Saturday, May 15, 11:00 a.m. and will be live. It then repeats on Saturday, May 15, 3:00 p.m. and Sunday, May 16, 1:00 p.m. It's a 4-hour program so you may want to view parts of it over the three dates and times. Read more on the website.
Triple Sip at Triple Door
From the press release...
Tickets are $225 and can be purchased at the Triple Door Box Office: 216 Union St or by calling 206.838.4333. A portion of the proceeds benefits KEXP. For all the details, including a full list of wineries see the website.
5/5/2010 Tom & Mario or Cooks & Books Last night I spent a thoroughly enjoyable evening sampling small bites from Mario Batali's latest cookbook, Molto Gusto: Easy Italian Cooking, sipping Col Solare and Antorini wines and being entertained by Tom Douglas interviewing Mario. You probably know Mario from Food Network, or perhaps his many successful restaurants or from his cookbooks. This was a chance, however, to experience the real person.
 The event was sponsored by Kim Ricketts through her Cooks & Books line of book events. Kim brings chefs and their fans together in a variety of ways and settings. The one constant is the evenings are always entertaining and often educational. She also hosts other types of events and two additional categories are especially interesting for food people, Words & Wine, and a brand new concept, Edible Conversations. Words & Wine cover a variety of subjects that may or may not be food related. Edible Conversations will cover food, sustainability and community.
 Most of the events (maybe all but read the descriptions) include a copy of the book being discussed in the fee for the event. There are several upcoming events that will be of interest to food lovers. From the Cooks & Books series:
From the new Edible Conversations:
Kim's events are such a great local resource. I encourage you to get on her mailing list to be kept up to date with the latest events.
4/30/2010 Happy Cookie Friday! Over on Flickr, I sometimes celebrate Happy Cookie Friday!, an event started by one of my online friends
(and a wonderful photographer) Natasha. This week's photo features a cookie from David Lebovitz' recently released cookbook, Ready for Dessert. I've made this chocolate chip cookie recipe twice now and there are some things I really love about it, especially the idea to roll the cookies and then slice them, instead of dropping by the spoonful. Even though I have been making cookies for a million years and have developed a pretty even hand when making drop cookies, slicing these cookies turns out a beautifully uniform batch.
I have yet to try any other recipe but I'm really looking forward to baking from this book. Just listen to some of these titles: Chocolate Orbit Cake, Maple-Walnut Pear Cake, Fresh Fig and Raspberry Tart with Honey, Cherry-Almond Cobbler, Black Currant Tea Crème Brûlée, and Watermelon-Sake Sorbet. That barely scratches the surface of recipes that are calling my name!
I also have David's The Perfect Scoop and The Great Book of Chocolate and have found them to be great cookbooks. Recipes are always clear and easy to understand, there are plenty of tips and tricks, and David's wit makes for entertaining reading. I've read and thoroughly enjoyed, The Sweet Life in Paris. Although recipes end each chapter this book is really more about David's life in Paris and the humorous adventures that are his daily life. If you've read his blog the book will feel very familiar to you.
4/29/2010 Rhubarb Jam As recently mentioned, it's rhubarb season! Although I have a nice plant of my own that keeps me eating rhubarb for a couple of months, my Dad has an entire row of rhubarb in his garden. I always make one trip to Oregon in April for Easter and/or my dad's birthday and take the opportunity to bring home a few pounds of rhubarb. In all these years, however, I'd never made rhubarb jam. I decided to rectify that this year.
Just as with desserts, most jam recipes combine rhubarb with a sweet fruit like strawberries. But I like pure rhubarb. I think the whole point of rhubarb is its nice tangy flavor! I picked a recipe that was easy to adjust based on the amount of rhubarb (I always want to call rhubarb "fruit" but it's actually a vegetable).
I was really happy with the way this turned out. It really captured the essence of rhubarb. It's a little tart but nice on morning toast. It would also be good with poultry or pork. One of my all time favorite dishes was foie gras with rhubarb chutney and I imagine this would work in place of the chutney, too. After tasting it I may go back and revisit some of the recipes that included orange juice or zest as there seems to be almost a hint of orange in this jam. Adding the orange would bring that out a bit more.
You should be able to find plenty of rhubarb at farmers' markets or in your grocery stores about now.
You can find the recipe I used here. 4/28/2010 First Look: Delicatus - A Seattle Delicatessen Delicatus opened its doors less than two months ago. Owned and operated by former Oceanaire employees its a nice addition to the Pioneer Square area. Their main focus is lunch and the bulk of the menu is dedicated to sandwiches - lots and lots of great sounding sandwiches - with a few salads and soup thrown in for good measure. They also have a full bar.
They are testing the evening business and traffic and to that end have added a few daily appetizer specials that are available from late afternoon into the evening. Last week M and I stopped in to check out this service.
 They have a decent number of wines available by the glass, there is a nightly beer special, and cocktails are also available. The list of appetizers is short, but don't let that fool you. What they offer is very good. We started with the House Confit Duck, a perfect leg and thigh section that was tender and rich with flavor. The duck was enhanced by a bed of sauteed spinach that was served with it. Absolutely delicious. We followed that with a small charcuterie platter filled with interesting meats and some very nice additional items like blue cheese stuffed olives and sweet cherry tomatoes topped with ribbons of fresh basil.
 The space is cozy, the people nice and the food great. The only thing that was sometimes a little off was timing. I'm hoping that as they get more settled in those issues will be cleared up.
When I arrived I was the first person at the bar and after asking for a wine menu, which was promptly delivered, it took some time for my server to come back and actually take my order. It seemed he was busy with something in the kitchen or at the sandwich counter and I started to feel forgotten, although once he returned my order was promptly filled. The confit seemed to take a very long time to be served and looking back we realized that it takes time to bring it slowly and carefully back up to temperature so it retains all the great character that's been built into it during the confit process. But when we ordered it would have been great if we were told that it would be an extended wait or they could even add a note on the specials board. In fact, communicating this information would give them a chance to emphasize their local sourcing and hand-crafted foods. Most people ordering duck confit at a sandwich shop wouldn't really expect it to be carefully created on site, even if it is called "House" confit. So taking the opportunity to notify the customer of the time needed to properly prepare it could both set appropriate expectations and also provide a little self-promotion. The timing on everything else was fine.
 We didn't try the sandwiches but after reviewing the menu there are several I'd really like to try. It looks like I'll be making a trip downtown for lunch sometime soon!
Delicatus
103 First Ave S
Pioneer Square
Seattle
206.623.3780
 4/26/2010 Samurai Noodle on the Ave There's a new noodle shop in the University District. Samurai Noodle, which has a location in Uwajimaya in the ID, recently opened a second location on The Ave. (For those of you not familiar with the U District, The Ave is University Way, which makes no sense but that's how it is.) Samurai's claim to fame is its ramen, and we are not talking about the 10 for a dollar packages many college students survive on.
Your choice of deep, rich broth; tons of long curly noodles, cooked to your specification (soft, medium or firm); slices of pork (or choose a vegetarian option); and various add-ons make a noodle soup worth craving. It was just such a craving that brought M and me to this new location on Sunday. She'd been thinking of noodles for days and we made a date to scratch that itch.
 We were the first people in the shop, although others followed soon after. I had a hard time making a decision and finally settled on a chicken broth with added egg, bamboo shoots and strips of seaweed, as well as the pork. It was called the #5 Tampopo, named after the movie. M chose a combination of tounyu (chicken) and tonkotsu (pork).
Service was friendly and quick. In no time at all we were enjoying the hot bowls of soup. M was completely satisfied with hers as it was delivered from the kitchen. Mine had so many noodles I can't imagine ever ordering more which is an option, but the broth seemed just a tad bit bland. That was quickly rectified by adding a sprinkling of noodle seasoning and a few chile flakes.
 If I worked in the U District I could see making this a regular lunchtime spot. Besides being tasty the bowls of soup are a great value. I didn't even finish my lunch and was still full enough that I didn't want dinner.
Samurai Noodle
4138 Universtiy Way NE
University District
Seattle
206.547.1774
 4/25/2010 Now Available! Now available at Seattle Farmers' Markets: gorgeous, fresh asparagus. Steam them, grill them, oven-roast them. There is no wrong answer. Just don't miss out on them!
 4/24/2010 520 Bar and Grill For many years, Bellevue seemed to be a little lacking in the breadth of restaurant options. There were some really great restaurants and a few fun, casual places but not a lot to choose from. That has been changing over the last several years but there is still one big gap in the offerings. Outdoor dining.
A couple weeks ago the Seattle area was enjoying another soft, warm spring day and my friend P and I were trying to think of a place we might be able to grab lunch in the sun after a quick walk around Bellevue's Downtown Park. We settled on 520 Bar and Grill located in old town Bellevue. While the food is not what you might call inspired it is good, solid and flavorful. Portions are generous. And they have one of those menus that has something for everyone from salads to burgers to full entrées; seafood to chicken to beef and even a few vegetarian options.
They have a great patio to one side of the building and a few additional tables along the front sidewalk. We chose a sidewalk table so we wouldn't miss a minute of sunshine.
 We shared a BBQ Chicken Salad and the Steak Gorgonzola Pizza. And had a couple of beers - a nice way to spend a springtime afternoon.
 520 Bar and Grill
10146 Main St
Old Town
Bellevue
425.450.0520
 4/21/2010 Friday Night at Cicchetti A couple of friends and I stopped by Cicchetti, Serafina's younger sibling, on Friday night for Happy Hour. While Cicchetti doesn't have a Happy Hour, per se, the menu is mostly small plates perfect for an after work gathering with friends. Cicchetti also specializes in classic and creative cocktails which will entice you to get out of your drinking rut and to try something new.
Cicchetti is located just around the corner from Serafina, or across Serafina's back patio. It's an intimate space with bar seating and a few tables on the main floor and a few additional tables upstairs. Some of the upstairs tables have Lake Union views but they are limited. On the main floor most tables have views of both the bar and the brick oven and prep area.
 The cocktail menu is pages long! So many of the suggested drinks sounded intriguing it was hard to make a decision about what to order. Also, the bartenders are happy to create something specifically for you based on your tastes. While I was tempted to have them do that, there were a couple of drinks on the menu that I really wanted to try so I decided to stick with the menu for this visit.
 During the course of our evening we tried a few cocktails and a selection from their wine list. For wine, they offer a Quarto option which is basically a glass and a half or quarter of a bottle. Perfect for those times when one glass is not quite enough!
We were able to indulge in several menu items including: Venetian marinated mussels, Turkish fried eggplant sandwich with feta and crudo tomato sauce, Oven-floor cheese with fresh pita, Salt cod fritter with piquillo peppers and last, but not least, Ricotta fritters with huckleberry sauce.
The Salt cod fritters were the only thing we agreed we probably would not order again. They were perfectly cooked but just a little boring and with all the other great menu options there's no reason to have them again. On the other hand, the Ricotta fritters are delicious!
 Cicchetti is closed on Sunday and Monday, something I learned first hand on an earlier attempted visit. The doors open at 5:00 pm. The place was filled by 5:30 pm.
Cicchetti
121 E Boston St
Seattle
206.859.4155
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