Northwest Gold Coast

Celebrate the Holidays with Locomotion

What: Winter Train and Village at Seattle Center’s Winterfest. You are invited to take your turn conducting the winter train around the holiday village. A free event, with a suggested donation of $2.

When: Open through the month of December all the way through 4pm on December 24th. 10:30am – 12 noon, 1pm – 2:30pm and 3:30pm – 5:30pm daily.

Where: Seattle Center

Go to: http://www.seattlecenter.com/winterfest/#Winter

Zoolights

What: Enjoy the zoo, covered in decorations and holiday lights (standard admission rates apply).

When: December 21st through January first, 5:00pm (December 24th Excluded).

Where: Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium.

Go to:http://calendar.thenewstribune.com/tacoma-wa/events/show/220339765-zoolights#storylink=cpy

Ice Sculpting

What: Watch expert ice sculpting artists create works of art.

When: December 24th and 31st. Noon to 2:00pm.

Where: Seattle Center, Outside of Fisher Pavilion.

Go to: http://www.seattlecenter.com/winterfest/#Ice

Ugly Sweater Night

What: Put on your worst holiday sweater and get a $1 discount on admission to the Tacoma Art Museum.

When: December 23rd, 10:00am – 5:00pm.

Where: Tacoma Art Museum

Go to:http://www.voiceplaces.com/ugly-sweater-night-seattle-1663261-e/

Seahawks vs. 49ers

What: Watch the Seahawks butt heads with their division rivals the 49ers. A Seahawks victory would keep their playoff hopes alive.

When: Saturday, December 24th at 1:15pm(pt)

Where: Century Link field

Go to:http://www.seahawks.com/schedule/season-schedule.html

Federal Way Tree Recycling

What: Free Christmas Tree pickup for residents of Federal Way. Simply place the tree by the curb (remove all decorations, no trees with coatings or fireproofing are accepted).

When: 7:00am, December 26th – January 6th

Where: Federal Way curbsides (residents only).

Go to:http://www.cityoffederalway.com/Calendar.aspx?EID=368&month=12&year=2011&day=21&calType=0

New Year’s Fireworks

What: Celebrate the beginning of 2012 by enjoying the view of the professional fireworks show launched from Seattle’s iconic space needle.

When: December 31st, Countdown to the new year in the moments approaching midnight and watch the fireworks start at 12 O’clock.

Where: Visible from downtown Seattle, or local news stations.

Polar Bear Dip

What: Kick off the New Year with a jump into the chilly waters of Lake Washington.

When: January 1, 11:00am

Where: Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park

Go to:http://rentonwa.gov/living/default.aspx?id=6150

Day Trip to Leavenworth’s IceFest

What: Join other winter enthusiasts on a trip to Leavenworth’s IceFest. Enjoy a full day of winter activities in beautiful and festive Leavenworth. Transportation costs $40 – $50.

When: Saturday January 14th. Bus departs at 8:00am and starts the return trip at 6:00pm.

Where: Bus departs from Hwy 512 Park N Ride, Lakewood, WA

Go to:http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/198251

Empty Bowls

What: Buy a hand crafted bowl and enjoy a nice meal, all while doing something good for the community. Admission is a minimum $15 donation for adults and $10 for children. Proceeds go to the Highline Food Bank and White Center Food Bank.

When: Friday January 28th, 11:00am-2:00pm & 4:00-8:00pm

Where: Burien Community Center

Go to:http://www.burienwa.gov/index.aspx?NID=840

Tags: Around Seattle, Cities, Community Involvement, Dining, Events, Outdoor Recreation, Sports by Kevin Cushing
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Translate “grazie” to English and you get:

preposition:.thanks to

interjection. thanks, thank you!

noun. gratitude, thankfulness, appreciation

noun. gracefulness, neatness, grace, prettiness, favor, pardon, mercy, reprieve

Enter the door of Grazie Ristorante Southcenter and you experience a lovely reprieve. Ideal for a small dinner party, one on one or small group business strategy lunch, father-daughter date or first, second or more date. The intimate, warm and calm setting provides a great backdrop for good conversation and authentic Italian cuisine. It proved to be the perfect place for our monthly Cascade e-Commerce Solutions staff lunch.

The only problem with Grazie is you wouldn’t know it’s there. It is tucked quietly in the corner between Men’s Wearhouse and Car Toys in an unremarkable strip mall on the west side of Southcenter Parkway.

The simple exterior belies the attractive interior. Attention to detail appears throughout the restaurant. Soft light fixtures that spread a warm glow over wood paneling and trim, wrought iron screens, and Italian art work create an ambience that is both elegant and comfortable.

Then there’s the staff… Since 1991 the owners have traveled every other year with staff to Italy so that each staff member is well versed in Italian culture and food preparation and service. You can view photos of some of their trips to suppliers’ wineries, olive groves, pasta factories and restaurants online at http://www.grazierestaurant.com/italy-gallery.htm.

As we ate we could see the chefs visibly busy behind the counter preparing meals for guests, while the host/hostess and wait staff attentively served guests. There was no need to flag down staff here as they remain focused on anticipating each guest’s next request regardless of whether the guest was in a party of several or a solo diner.

When it came to the cuisine, the Calamari Fritti (fried squid) appetizer was a great start that would be a nice beginning to a lunch or dinner. Deep fried on the outside, yet tender on the inside, it was perfect with its accompanying Chive and Garlic Aioli sauce. The Formaggi Arrabiata (fresh mozzarella and goat cheese served hot with prosciutto, chili oil, basil and crostini) was also a lovely appetizer but needed to be eaten promptly so that the mozzarella remained soft.

For the main course we ordered Fettuccine Alfredo, Lasagna, Cannelloni, Capellini Gamberetti, and Linguine di Mare (noodles with an array of seafood). Everyone was pleased with their decisions. Jordan went as far to say, “It was one of the best linguine I’ve ever had!”, then jokingly added, “and I go to Olive Garden all the time!” If you want to try something new, the Lasagna is quite different. It’s green! Thankfully there is good reason for this; their lasagna is coated in pesto sauce. Talk about scrumptious!

For dessert we ordered Tiramisu, Cannoli, Turtle Cheesecake, Lemon Tart, and Triple Chocolate Cake. These tasty treats were so good that for a few moments we were able to forget how full we really were. That’s no easy feat either. Every course of this meal had generous serving sizes. Even after feasting and thoroughly testing the strength of our belts we still had plenty of food to take home with us.

Enjoying leftovers at home was tasty but certainly no substitute for the experience and freshly cooked meal at Grazie. We enjoyed our meal so much that we recommend you reconsider your next trip to the Olive Garden. Instead, take a tip from the staff of Cascade e-Commerce Solutions and visit Grazie Ristorante.

The History of Grazie Ristorante:

The first Grazie Ristorante was built in Tacoma in the early 1900′s. Owner Kevin Downey brought Grazie Ristorante to the eastside in 1987 when he opened the Southcenter Grazie Ristorante location. Today Grazie Ristorante provides the Puget Sound with Italian dining from its Southcenter location and another location in Bothell, WA.

For more information about Grazie Ristorante go to:http://grazierestaurant.com/about.htm

Tags: Dining, Services by Kevin Cushing
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Once every month we use our newsletter as an excuse to get out from behind our desks and take a company trip for a local restaurant review. For the staff of CeSI, it is becoming more than just a free meal. It is a chance to push our culinary boundaries.

For most of my life I have pretended that I make an interesting and daring meal choice when I choose Panda Express. This past month however, I decided to admit to myself that I have no clue what real Chinese food is.

Our monthly trip was the perfect opportunity to step out of my comfort zone. When given the chance to pick this month’s restaurant I was careful to pick something different. Typically I would have tried to find the area’s best burger. Not this time, I was on a mission.

I went online to find something different and authentic. I went to Yelp.com to find what people in the area recommended. Knowing others recommend the restaurant gave me the confidence to try something different. If this decision had a studio audience and a celebrity host, going to Yelp was the equivalent of asking the audience. With any chance of eating somewhere interesting ever again on the line I had to make the right decision. The restaurant I decided upon was Szechuan First in Kent, WA.

You can usually get a good sense of a restaurant from the number of people in the place. So my nerves were worsened when there were plenty of empty tables. However, as soon as the first dish arrived my fears were alleviated. This food looked good, smelled good, and most importantly tasted good. And by the time we left, almost every table in the restaurant was occupied. We beat the rush.

We all ordered something different and shared all of our orders. We may have gone a bit overboard; apparently our eyes were bigger than our stomachs. Between five people we ordered:

• Kung Pow Chicken
• Fried Dumplings
• Smoked Duck
• Beef & Broccoli
• Chicken with Vegetables
• Egg Rolls
• Sweet Potato Pancakes
• Ong-Choy (aka Swamp Cabbage)

This came with soup and tea as well.

Let’s do the math on this. That’s eight plates of food. Five bowls of soup. Five cups of tea. Eight plus five, carry the one, round to the nearest whole number… Yup, that is a lot of food for five people.

As we ate were able to identify a few things that really set Szechuan First apart. Too many restaurants fill your plate with vegetables without enough meat, this was not the case at this restaurant, plenty of both were provided. Another important factor was that each dish had its own flavor. Another problem with many Chinese food restaurants, many use the same sauce for all the dishes and everything tastes the same. All too often this same generic sauce ends up soaking the vegetables, making them soggy and unappetizing. Neither was the case here. In fact, one of the advantages of ordering so many things was that we were able to taste so many different flavors, and each was unique.

The Fried Dumplings were awesome. Even though they brought us a plate of probably more than 30 dumplings it was the first dish to disappear. This was an appetizer, but if I went back I might just order a plate of these for myself.

The Smoked Duck was one of the day’s specials. Unfortunately this was the one dish that we weren’t all that crazy about. The duck was a bit dry, but the crunchy skin was tasty. I don’t eat a lot of duck, so it is hard to say if the issue is that I didn’t enjoy how it was prepared or if I just don’t appreciate duck.

The Sweet Potato Pancakes were really tasty and different than what any of us usually have for dessert. This was similar to an orange colored donut. It was crisp on the outside but sweet and sugary on the inside with a sweet filling too. It tasted great, and since a sweet potato is close enough to a vegetable we could pretend it wasn’t completely unhealthy for us.

What I ordered was the Szechuan Chicken. This was reportedly pretty spicy. In my experience anything spicy can’t taste too bad. Another constant among foods is anything chicken is usually alright too. Since I was nervous about branching out, a spicy chicken dish seemed alright. The dish actually wasn’t all that spicy, which is good because it would have covered up some of the other flavors. This was a really flavorful dish. The meat had been marinated in a really yummy salty sauce. If you’re trying to cut back on your salt stay away, otherwise make sure someone in your group orders this if you go to Szechuan First.

Probably the most interesting dish that we tried was Ong-Choy. We saw this brought to another table and asked what it was. When we heard the name we looked for it on the menu, but couldn’t find it. This was a traditional Asian dish that wasn’t on the menu. We were excited, it was akin to ordering off the secret menu, but instead of Animal Fries it was Ong-Choy (aka Swamp Cabbage). Imagine a salty and buttered green bean with garlic. As a kid who always hated eating his green beans at dinner, I can say that these were surprisingly good.

The décor of the restaurant was really nice too. The tables were marble or faux marble, the walls had wood etched drawings and Chinese characters. There are plenty of restaurants where you want to eat your meal and take off, but this was a place you could stay and relax.

We actually stayed for a while after we finished. We sat sipping tea, talking about our unique meal. Admittedly it might have been in part that none of us wanted to head back to work. But it was a nice place to sit and enjoy the afternoon regardless.

By the end of the meal my taste buds weren’t offended and my fears were unwarranted. I was pleasantly surprised and even though my desire to test my culinary bravery has ceased, I would gladly go back. Apparently so would my coworkers and rightfully so.

Unfortunately I won’t be able to feel as adventurous anymore when I go to Panda Express.

Tags: Dining by Kevin Cushing
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A recent power outage prompted our staff to seek out a restaurant (with power) for lunch. One staff member was hungry for Hawaiian. So using an iPhone we studied Yelp reviews and phoned the top rated restaurant to check if they were open and had power. We were in luck so we piled into cars and took a trip to Saimin Says in Kent, WA.

The restaurant’s name is a pun on the name of the children’s game, Simon Says, and a popular Hawaiian dish, Saimin.

The size of our group allowed us to sample a good portion of the extensive menu. The entrée options include the eclectic mix of island fare, ingredients from the sea, Asian spices and preparations and continental U.S, iconic foods such as Spam and hamburgers that make up authentic Hawaiian cuisine. From Macadamia Nut Pancakes to Kalua Pig & Cabbage to Chicken Katsu to Curry Saimin there are many pleasing options to satisfy your taste for Hawaiian food.

Each entrée was generously portioned, hot and filling – just the kind of comfort foods that native Hawaiians expect. The Fried Rice Omelet is pretty much what it sounds like. Did you know fried rice was a breakfast food? Could it be because Hawaii is in a later time zone?

Sumo Sumu is one of Saimin Says’ specialties. This dish has everything under the sun. Mix beef, chicken, wontons, kamaboko, Spam, shrimp tempura, char siu, boiled egg & veggies with a pound of noodles and you have a Saimin Says favorite. This steaming entrée is more than enough to feed two, but most customers choose to eat it solo in one sitting.

Moco Loco is a Hamburger with a Hawaiian twist. In the continental U.S. most burgers come with fries, but that is a little different at Saimin Says. An order of Moco Loco gets you a hamburger with an egg and homemade gravy, and instead of fries the burger is served with a side of rice.

While serving us these Hawaiian fares, one of the owners, Ken, shared the Saimin Says story with us. The owners opened their first Saimin Says restaurant 17 years ago. Laughingly, Ken explained that for some time his wife was the face of the business, whereas he had to hide in the back. Native Hawaiians didn’t think the white guy behind the counter looked like he could cook authentic Hawaiian food. But, in short time he proved his authentic Hawaiian style as chef and even the natives are happy to refer their family to the restaurant. Their new location in Kent is doing quite well. We highly recommend a visit even when you have power at home!

For more information visit www.saiminsays.com .

Tags: Dining by Elizabeth Paulsen
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There’s a new bakery in town! On September 17, 2010 Blue Vanilla Bakery opened it’s doors in the heart of downtown Des Moines on the corner of Marine View Drive and 225th, just beneath the Butler Bar and Grill.

A partnership between three generations, Blue Vanilla Bakery is truly a family affair. Mother and daughter, Margie and Ashley Nelson, are the creative brains behind the store’s beautiful and delicious offerings from the calm decor to the amazing food and drink.

From the second you walk in the door the atmosphere is warm and inviting. You’re immediately presented with a glass case filled with all manners of baked goods, from cookies to muffins and cakes, and to your left you’ll find a colorful chalkboard listing all the many different foods and drinks the bakery offers.

If you’re worried about getting stuck in the lunch rush, Blue Vanillas large foyer and dining area have plenty of room for everyone. The tables are generously spaced and the large windows let in plenty of natural light, allowing for a causal and friendly atmosphere.

On our visit, the bakery wasn’t very busy, which was surprising considering how perfect and delicious their food was. In order to give a thorough evaluation (and because everything just looked so good) we ended up ordering a variety of sandwiches, soups, and drinks. Everyday the bakery has a different lunch special including a couple soup and sandwich varieties. A list of the daily speicals can usually be found on the Blue Vanilla Bakery Facebook page and they are also listed near the bakeries register if you decide on a more impromptu visit.

After ordering it doesn’t take long before they start showing up at your table with plates, presenting one delicious item after another. We were also impressed by the way they put each dish together. Every sandwich came complete with a side of kettle cooked chips, and the bowls of soup came with a nice soft roll.

The soup of the day on our visit was Mulligatawny, a soup I had never heard of let alone tried, but I decided to be brave and order a bowl. I was in love from the first bite and would have licked the bowl clean if it were socially appropriate. These feelings were shared by my co-workers as they ate and finished their various soups and sandwiches around the table.

Although our stomachs were near bursting, filled with our lunches and delicious lattes, our mouths watered as we stared at the display cases filled with desserts. We once again decided to order a variety and soon our table was filled with an eclair, snicker doodle, chocolate chip cookie, pecan sticky bun and a raspberry muffin, each one as tasty as the next, and this was only a small sampling of the bakeries offerings. We left the bakery not only filled, but completely satisfied and in the happiest of moods.

If you’re looking for a sweet treat, great coffee or a satisfying lunch you should take a trip to the Blue Vanilla Bakery, where your tastes will be satisfied and your expectations will be more than fulfilled.

Want to know what on the lunch menu for each day? Check out their facebook page to find up to date lunch offerings here http://www.facebook.com/pages/Blue-Vanilla-Bakery/141668829197768.

To learn more about Blue Vanilla Bakery, what they offer, and their hours, check out their website at www.bluevanillabakery.com.

Tags: Dining, Services by Amanda Dorough
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If you’ve driven through Des Moines, Washington chances are you’ve passed by Wally’s Chowder House and Broiler located on the corner of 226 and Marine View Drive.  The restaurant has been a Des Moines seafood institution since 1993 when it took over the building formerly inhabited by another seafood restaurant, Moby Doug’s.

Once you enter the restaurant the interior is immediately homey and inviting.  From wood paneled walls to numerous knick knacks, Wally’s is exactly what I would imagine a New England seafood restaurant to look like.  Top that off with wide windows that let in plenty of natural light and offer views of Puget Sound, it leads to a very pleasant dining experience.

Wally’s decor isn’t the only inviting element.  The wait staff is friendly and always attuned to the customers needs.  A basket of bottomless fish and chips is hardly finished before they are ready to fill it up again.  Oftentimes the owners are also present and willing to answer any questions you might have or just chat.  We had a nice conversation about the restaurant’s history with one of the owners, Mike Nordean.   He told us about the owner of Moby Doug’s who had worked for Ivar’s before setting out to start his own restaurant, and how years later he and Wally, who were good family friends, came to take over the former Moby Doug’s building to start the restaurant we now know as Wally’s.

As much as we enjoyed the atmosphere at Wally’s, the food is the main attraction.   Each member of our group ordered a different item including broiled King salmon,  a chicken sandwich,  the scallop platter, clam chowder,  and of course, fish and chips.  Every dish was delicious and we had no complaints.  The fish was breaded perfectly, the fries were thick and the clam chowder didn’t even need the oyster crackers that came with it (in a cute old
fashioned milk jar!).  By the time we were finished our stomachs were full and we were completely satisfied.  However, there was still desert.  At first we resisted, but we felt like it was part of our reviewing duties to at least try something, so we ordered the blackberry pie with ice cream.  The portion was huge and was more than enough for the four of us to share, and even though we were full we polished off the bowl, it was too delicious to stop.

So would we recommend Wally’s Chowder House & Broiler?  Absolutely!  With its homey atmosphere, friendly staff and delicious food, Wally’s gets a big thumbs up in our book.

To see their menu, check out specials or learn more about Wally’s you can visit their website at http://wallyschowderhousebroiler.com/

Tags: Dining by Amanda Dorough
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It seems that there are coffee shops on just about every corner in the Seattle area.  We Northwesterns love our java, but there is one locally owned coffee shop that stands out from all the others.

Mike’s Community Cup, a newer addition to the SeaTac community, is more than just your daily dose of caffeine. This locally owned, family operated business has a personal touch and gives back to the community. 10 cents from every beverage purchased goes back to organizations serving the SeaTac community including McMicken Heights Elementary School, SeaTac’s Back to School Resource Fair, Young Life, Des Moines Food Bank and local fire victims.

Mike Condon opened the shop in January 2009 across from Safeway on Military Road in SeaTac. Mike is a personable guy with a connection with his customers. Punch cards are held at the counter so customers don’t have to worry about carrying them around or losing them. Photography from local artists hangs on the wall for purchase.

The relaxed atmosphere has a draw for a wide audience with daily specials, a drive through, free wi-fi, a 42 inch Plasma tv, comfortable leather couches and a kids playing area. Sports fans are welcome to come in on weekends for some football and great drink specials.

The menu includes premium coffee beverages, hot, iced and blended, as well as Italian sodas, granitas and 8 flavors of delicious smoothies. Sizes of cup range from 8 ounces to 24 ounces. Along with the beverages, Mike’s also offers breakfast sandwiches, bagels, pastries and cookies. Breakfast sandwiches are a hot item because of their portion size, price and selection.

This is a great place to meet people in the neighborhood, have some truly great coffee, and help give back to the community.

For more info and map and location, visit their website at www.mikescommunitycup.com.

Tags: Dining by Risa Miller
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If you’re like most of us and consider a whole block of fresh Parmesan an absolute splurge compared to the normal powder in the green cans, then have we got a place for you! Or if you know exactly what “fromage” means and just where to find “rennet” at your neighborbood store, then again we’ve got the place for you!

Benson’s Best Bites is just the type of store/deli that the southside has been needing for a long time. It is comfortable as Loie and Ezra Benson offer true Mom & Pop service. Plus, the store’s wares are both eye and taste-appealing. The specialty items encourage you to get creative with normally impossible-to-find cooking and baking ingredients. Ezra invites customers to be adventurous with their palates as he offers tastes of exquisite cheeses like the 2008 Paris Fair winning cheese and offers insights to fine foods. Then as you are dining on your choice of specialty handcrafted soups or sandwiches, Loie slips behind you to offer samples of pickles or the 16 varieties of olives that are sold at the store.

The service isn’t speedy, nor should it be. The time and care going into your order gives you ample time to explore the shop. And honestly, we spent twenty minutes just walking around soaking it all in before we could even bring ourselves to place an order. In the end we ordered sandwiches, the very items Ezra never intended to sell when he and Loie first opened the shop.

Ezra explained how he had originally envisioned a fine cheese and cold cuts counter with other delectable treats for the cook, baker, and eater enthusiasts in the area. If he made a few sandwiches here and there that was fine, but the plan didn’t include sandwich specials. After the recommendations of many customers that he make sandwiches with cold cuts and Havarti, he made a decision. He would make sandwiches with what he calls a Havarti Upgrade*. *(Havarti being one of the “fanciest” cheeses found at most grocery stores was as far and strange as most customers had been in the world of cheese.) However, Ezra sought to take them further and farther into the world of fromage.

Needless to say, when Benson’s Best Bites started making sandwiches they were sure to do them right. Our Ciabatta Mufaletta, Mozzarella di Buffala pesto en Carroza, and Dirty Jobs sandwiches were nothing short of spectacular. The Ciabatta Mufaletta has been cut down in size from its New Orleans cousin but retains all the full flavor of the Big Easy original. Both the name and a bite of the Mozzarella di Buffala pesto en Carroza truly are a mouthful in the most delightful sense of the word.
The Dirty Jobs featuring Lebanon bologna, smoked turkey, and smoked mozzarella on white bread was a pleasing surprise. Having been a student from Kindergarten through grad school for the past 18 years-I always think of white bread as that sweet-stick-to-the-roof-of-your-mouth Wonder bread sort. Nope, what I had before me was pure artisan bread, the very kind that makes you want to cradle the whole loaf and try Pixar’s Ratatouille squeeze on it to find out if it too, “…eez a symphony of crackle.”

Benson’s Best Bites is an eclectic but wonderful store selling everything from gourmet fresh and dried pasta, to spices like saffron and lavendar, to giant hunks of fine cheese or chocolate, to Mexican Coca Cola. And more than just the selling of products, the store and its owners are there to share with you: to share their knowledge and passion of fine food, to share their community involvement (fliers about local events are posted around), and to share their thoughts on the current weather and economic status in the southside.

The store is not the easiest to find as it is located near the back right-hand side of the Manhattan QFC in Normandy Park, but it is worth the trip, well worth it.

Benson’s Best Bites is open M-F 10 am – 6:30 pm and Saturdays from 10am – 4pm serving garlic fries the flavor and balance of which has already been adored all over the internet. If you have any questions, please phone 206-243-2420 or simply stop by the store at 17851 First Avenue South,
Normandy Park, Washington 98148.

Tags: Dining, Shopping by Jennifer Paulsen
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California Pizza Kitchen, located at 150 Andover Park West in Tukwila, opened in mid-February 2008.   It serves up a hearty lunch and dinner menu that features a signature honey-wheat pizza dough.

As you enter the double glass doors you’re surrounded by natural stone work, wood blinds, suspended lamps and sunny art deco-style décor.   The half round kitchen to the left sparkles with chrome and bright lights.   Hand paintings of eggplant, artichoke and other produce on the tops of take out pizza boxes serve as trendy 3D art in clear Lucite boxes on the perimeter walls.

There is nice variety in seating arrangements including square expandable tables, corner round booths and interior square step up booths.

A popular appetizer is the Singapore Shrimp Rolls with shrimp, baby broccoli, soy glazed Shiitake mushrooms, Romaine, carrots, noodles, bean sprouts, green onion and cilantro wrapped in rice paper, served chilled with a sesame-ginger dipping sauce and Szechuan slaw.

One favorite entrée is the Wild Mushroom Pizza.   This dish features Cremini, Shiitake, Portobello and white mushrooms, Fontina and Mozzarella cheeses and a wild mushroom   walnut pesto and is garnished with chopped Italian parsley.

Mushroom lovers also enjoy the Mushroom Pepperoni Sausage which includes fresh mushroom, pepperoni, sweet Italian sausage, Mozzarella cheese and a restaurant tomato sauce.

Over ten types of pasta grace the menu including Grilled Sausage & Pepper Penne (large penne with slices of grilled spicy Italian sausage, mild onions, red and yellow peppers and Parmesan cheese in a special marinara sauce) and Jambalaya Pasta (blackened chicken and shrimp in spicy Jambalaya sauce with crawfish, Andouille sausage and Tasso ham served on linguini fini and topped with fresh green onions.

The desserts are tasty and sized to share.   The Red Velvet Cake and Caramel Fudge Pecan Cheesecakes are smooth and rich finishes to a great meal.

While the restaurant is a bit noisy during the lunch hour, it is a great dinner date venue as it is relaxed and upbeat.

For more information: visit www.cpk.com.

Tags: Dining by admin
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Lunch or dinner at Kokiri Restaurant (Elephant Restaurant), an authentic Korean restaurant located at 32703 Pacific Highway in Federal Way, is best shared with a group of friends or colleagues.     Guests should expect to stay at least two hours because the meal itself is an event.

While the menu is varied and extensive, the most popular meal is the Combination Dinner Ko Ki Ri Dinner A for six people.

Just as is common in Korea during the winter season, soothing hot barley tea is served first instead of ice water.   Ice water and other beverages are available upon request.

Next friendly wait staff begin bringing items to the table.   One staff person places large thin sections of marinated meat on the grill at each table.   The meats include:

• Marinated Kal Bi – Thinly cross cut beef short ribs that have been marinated in a special barbecue sauce which are one of the most internationally popular Korean foods.
• Pork Bul Go Ki – pork rib eye, marinated in a spicy sauce, gochujang (red chili paste).
• Marinated BBQ Chicken that looks and tastes similar to teriyaki chicken.

At the same time other wait staff load up the table with:

• “Banchan”- small side dishes set in the middle of the table to share. These dishes are served in small portions which are meant to be finished at each meal. Once any dish is finished, you can ask for more of that dish and more will be brought at no extra charge. Included in these dishes are a variety of Kimchee- fermented, spicy vegetable dishes usually made of baechu, radish, or cucumber.
• Denjang Chi Gae- A soybean paste soup with tofu and vegetables which is often called “Korean Miso soup”.
• Rice cake and pot sticker soup- One bowl of this mild, tasty soup is traditionally eaten on New Year’s day to signify that you will be a year older than the previous year.   In Korea your age is calculated by the number of New Year’s Days you’ve passed rather that birthdays passed. (So do we get two years older than the previous year if we eat two bowls of soup?)
• Pajeon- This pancake-like Korean dish is made mostly of eggs and flour mixed with green onion.   It is like pizza in that several different ingredients can be added to it. Dinner A includes a seafood pajeon which features invertebrates such as squid, shrimp, mussel along with other vegetables such as carrots, onions, etc.
• Purple Rice – While most of the rice in this dish is white rice, the addition of some wild rice and beans creates a deep purple hue and gives it a nutty, rich taste.
• Broiled Flounder- This grilled flounder is seasoned with the house salt rub.
• Jap Chae- These low-calorie potato clear noodles are stir-fried with vegetables and beef.
• Lettuce in which you can wrap the meat, rice and any condiments you want. You can always ask for more at no extra charge.
• Condiments- Soy bean paste, jalapeño pepper, garlic cloves.

Once all the dishes are placed on the table there is very little open space left.   Each person is provided a small plate, soup spoon and chop sticks.   Forks and knives are also available upon request. In addition, each table is supplied with tongs and scissors for turning the meat and snipping it into serving size portions.   And guests typically eat their soup and sample various banchan while the meat grills.

As is common for most Korean dishes, many of the items are seasoned with sesame oil, doenjang (fermented soybean paste), soy sauce salt, garlic, ginger and gochujang (red chili paste).   Surprisingly, Korea is the largest consumer of garlic, ahead of the rest of Asia (particularly China and Thailand,) and the Northern Mediterranean (mainly Spain, Italy, and Greece).

Ultimately, the meal is finished with slices of seasonal fruits per Korean custom.

A reservation is recommended to secure tables with built-in grills.   Ample free  parking is  onsite and a large semi-private room  is available to  support banquets and parties.   To make a reservation or obtain more information regarding Kokiri Restaurant phone 253.838.4288.

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Simply Thai III Executive Chef Nitha Moore prepares her dishes with precision. Not with the typical precision that most cooks understand – precise measurements according to a written recipe. Rather, she selects the best possible ingredients and assembles them adding only one ingredient at a time in a precise order at a precise temperature to a precise spot in a large wok. Observing her work is similar to watching a fine florist produce an exquisite, artful arrangement.

Blessed by a heritage that can trace each recipe to the kitchens of the Royals of Laos, Nitha does not compromise a recipe by preparing sauces or mixtures in advance. Produce is bought fresh daily and each item is added as soon as washed and cut so that the flavors are authentic and the dish offers the best possible nutrition.

Especially wonderful is the Salmon Panang. This “melt in your mouth” dish starts with a paste of cumin (which gives the dish its warm color), cinnamon, yellow curry, coriander and sesame oil. The paste is mixed into coconut milk and used to complement red and green bell peppers, “just off the boat” salmon, lime leaves, and basil. As it is served onto a blue and white platter the dish is finished with a dollop of coconut cream that elegantly smoothes out this excellent main dish.

Nitha and husband/business associate Rick Moore state that the aim of their new 406 Broadway East Seattle location is to create a sense of contentment for each patron. They do this with an upscale, yet comfortable, environment that incorporates hardwood and bamboo décor; tropical plants; wine, blue, gold, and emerald fabrics and parasol accents. They do this with their beautifully prepared meals that are affordable, nutritious and delicious.

Simply Thai has three locations, 406 Broadway East, Seattle; 375 Strander Boulevard, Tukwila; and 1001 Andover Park East, Tukwila. They also cater special events or meetings. For more information, call them at 206-322-7600.
To learn more about this business when it first got started, click here.

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Is there room to fit in another chain Mexican Restaurant around here?   We’ve already got Taco Bell, Taco Time, Azteca, Taco del Mar, Torero’s Mexican Restaurant, just to name a few.   And if so, what could it possibly offer that all of these can’t?

Qdoba Mexican Grill has recently opened up next to Acme Bowling at 100 Andover Park West in Tukwila.   And the good news is that there is room for this latest addition to Seattle/Mexican venue because it offers “fast food style” Mexican fare with unique fresh flavors unlike any of the others.

The menu is loaded with descriptions including the word “fresh” and that is the best way to describe everything there.   Qdoba makes its own homemade tortilla chips, salsa, guacamole, 3-cheese queso, Ranchera sauce, poblano pesto, fajita ranchera, chicken mole and much more.   These fresh ingredients make even this simple plate of nachos taste delicious (top photo).

The grilled quesadillas come with sides of fresh guacamole, sour cream and choice of salsa.   This Flat Iron Steak Quesadilla has wonderful flavors and by choosing your own salsa, it can be as mild or spicy as you’d like.   Just looking at their Taco salad, you won’t be able to appreciate how good it tastes.  What you usually get from a Taco salad–lettuce, meat, cheese and sour cream; that’s all there. There’s also fresh lime, black bean corn salsa, picante ranch dressing and more.

All burritos start with cilantro lime rice and your choice of black or pinto beans (no beans on Fajita Burritos), and are topped off with your choice of salsa and cheese or sour cream.     Their huge Chicken Mole Burrito has marinated grilled chicken topped with a rich and slightly spicy Mole sauce and is a meal just by itself.

Five to seven dollars will get you any meal/menu item and all entrees are prepared in front of the customer and topped with personally selected ingredients.   The first Qdoba Mexican Grill restaurant was opened in 1995 by Anthony Miller and his partner Robert Hauser in Denver. There are now over 300 Qdoba Mexican Grills located in more than 40 states from coast to coast.   You can learn more about Qdoba from their website, http://www.qdoba.com/. If you’re looking for fresh, healthy Mexican food that is also quickly prepared, Qdoba will fulfill your search with fresh vegetables, marinated meats and a terrific blend of spices.

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