The last few weeks have been crazy, to say the least.  Work was super busy and then the snow hit.  And hit again.  Many people think that with Seattle being as far north as it is that snow is common here.  But it's not so we don't have much snow removal equipment and in a city built on hills that can lead to all kinds of issues.  And with this series of storms the snow build-up in the neighborhoods left many people stuck at home or, when they did manage to get out to the main roads, buffeted around as cars were caught in deep ruts of snow, ice and eventually slush.  I love the snow but this was a mess!  

 

I had really been looking forward to my annual holiday party - someone asked me how long I've been having it and I think in one form or another since 1987! - but was unsure I'd be able to have it this year.  But a few days before it was scheduled the weather turned and the snow started melting away so the day after Christmas - known as Boxing Day to some - I started my shopping, only to find that deliveries of certain items had not made it to stores due to the bad weather.  So I made another trip on Saturday morning and then (finally!) got going on my prep work for Sunday's party.  In between my cooking projects I spent time clearing snow in front of the house so that guests could have a snow-free approach. 

 

I tried several new things this year and was really happy with them.  And of course there were plenty of tried and true options, too. 

 

The bite-sized mac and cheese were excellent and fun, although next time I'd make them a little bigger.  The pulled pork sandwich was really good, too.  I opted to omit the coleslaw due to time and a concern about the messiness of the finished sandwich.  They were very tasty with just the pork, although I'm sure the coleslaw would add a nice contrasting element.  The mini creme brulee was rich and refreshing at the same time!  Although I got rushed at the end and didn't properly torch the sugar. 

 

 

 

Here's the complete menu with links to several recipes:   

 

Chinese Pork with Hot Mustard, Ketchup and Sesame Seeds

Chicken Liver Pate with Brandied Fruit from Kathy Casey's Northwest Table: Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, Southern Alaska

Duck Bruschetta with Cherry Chutney  

Prosciutto-wrapped Asparagus

Smoked Salmon with Cream Cheese, Red Onions and Capers

Mozzarella and Charcuterie Slices with Cucumber and Grainy Mustard

Oven Roasted Shrimp

Pickled Vegetables and Olives

Assorted Cookies

Mini Lemon-Blueberry Creme Brulee

 

Here are a few photos and the rest can be found here. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

Buddha Ruksa is a little hard to find as it sits just past the intersection of 35th and Fauntleroy as you cross the bridge into West Seattle on an unmarked section of Genesee.  But once you find it you'll find the place warm and welcoming.    I was there with a large group and we had so many dishes I really didn't keep track of what was what.  All of it was decent and some dishes were really good.  The picture at the top is of a daily special, Pumpkin Curry and was excellent!  I wanted to keep it all for myself, but I did share.  And they have interesting cocktails - which always a plus! 

 

Service was a little hit or miss.  For instance when they took our order they didn't ask how much heat we wanted so everything came out as one star, although we caught the error part way through the delivery and they did spice up the dishes that had not yet been delivered.  Some of us waited some time for drinks, others got them almost as soon as they sat down.  The place was busy but didn't seemed jammed.  It may have been due to the size of the group. 

 

If I lived in West Seattle I could see making this a regular stop on my restaurant circuit. 

 

 

 

206.937.7676

 

 

 

 

 

 

Breakfast is the one meal for me that I really prefer good, solid, basic food.  Don't get me wrong - I can enjoy creative and interesting presentations or ingredients but more often than not, when perusing a breakfast menu my eyes turn to the bacon and eggs sort of dishes.  Or at least some variety of meat and eggs. 

 

On my recent trip to Santa Cruz I spent most morning having breakfast in the cottage I'd rented.  There really is nothing better than sipping tea munching on a scone while watching the wave crash on the beach.  Well, some mornings I was only listening  to waves crash on the beach since I'm an early riser and at this time of year I tend to beat the sun up by several hours.  But still being that close to the ocean and the beach is something to be savored. 

 

One morning I did decide to venture out, however, and I made my way to Walnut Avenue Cafe, which just happens to be right across the street from Soif!  They open at 8:00 am and I arrived shortly before 9:00 am.  It was already packed but I was shown to one of the few remaining little booths for two.  As I was being seated I also noticed a nice counter with seating in the back of the room. 

 

The place was full of all sorts of folks:  families; students reading textbooks; groups of friends.  The furnishings seemed a little worn, but in a comfortable sort of way - you felt like you could relax and didn't have to worry about ruining the furniture or sitting up too straight.  A few minutes after I arrived, people were queued for seats and several opted to sit outside (it was starting to warm in the morning sun by that point) instead of waiting for an inside table.  Those that waited did so with a cup of coffee in hand, served to them by the friendly wait staff. 

 

There were many things I would have liked to try on the menu, so many of them sounded and looked (as I watched them being served around me) really good.  The one thing I found disappointing, and this is true of most breakfast places it seems, is that instead of hash browns they served home fries.  As I mentioned a couple posts ago I love hash browns!  And even though the oven-baked version in that post is really good, they still aren't the hash browns you can really only get from a short-order grill.  So, instead of basic bacon and eggs or a scramble or omelet, I decided to order Heuvos Rancheros with Carnitas where the lack of hash browns isn't an issue. 

 

 

 

While waiting for my huevos I sipped a glass of freshly-squeezed orange juice, a cup of tea and a glass of water.  All had their place on this morning.  I didn't wait long, though, my huevos were delivered very promptly!  They were very tasty and, this might sound odd, but the black beans they used were so good they may have been my favorite part of the dish.  Then again maybe it was the perfectly cooked eggs.  Or the succulent carnitas.  Hard to say really.  It was a great dish. 

 

My biggest regret is that I didn't have a chance to make it back one more time before I left town.  As mentioned there were lots of things on the menu I would have liked to have tried.  Next time I think it might be one of their "Benedict" versions. 

 

831.457.2307