anchovies need not apply.

you know what food hardly EVER has fish on it??? pizza. pizza is a safe food for us fish haters, i would say. i can't remember the last time i asked someone what they wanted on their pizza and listened to them proclaim "scallops!" "shrimp!" or the most probable possibility: "anchovies!"

seattle isn't known for its pizza like chicago or new york. but my recent experience at veraci pizza makes me think it should be. the small eatery, located on market street in ballard is cozy, quick, simple, and churns out some of the tastiest pizza i have ever tasted. the pizza powerhouse started out as a travelling wood-fired pizza oven and has permanent locations in portland, spokane, bend, and couer d'alene.

if you're like me when it comes to my pizza--it's all about the crust and the cheese. i'm definitely a thin crust type of gal and veraci seriously delivers a seriously thin crust. it's crispy yet chewy and has just the right amount of large slice fold-ability. and the cheese, my friends, is to die for. there is just the right amount of meltiness, but without the pesky slippery factor that some thin crust pizzas have.

the menu is pretty standard, but there is specials that pop up different every day. whether pepperoni, veggie, or margherita is your thing--you'll find it ready for you at veraci. on my visit i had the special, called the salumi mole. a delicious spicy salami, green onion, and an herbed beecher's flagship cheese rounded out the cast on quite a delicious pie. i suggest you get your fishless self over there sometime soon or visit the woodfire grill itself at the ballard sunday farmer's market!

oh, yeah, and you can also get salad. but, come on, with that pizza slice staring at you it might be a little hard to finish it.

a musical meal.

photo is of me and my main squeeze enjoying some tunes and foods at the triple door.
have any of you ever ventured to see a concert at the triple door? well, if you haven't it's a one-of-a-kind viewing/dining/drinking/social experience. i never feel like i wasted my money after visiting the triple door as i sometimes do as i walk into the cold arms of the hotdog vendor's cart outside the showbox. why do i love thee, triple door??? let me count the ways.

1. reserved seating.
now, i know that a lot of the amazingness in the seattle music is spontaneity. which is why i enjoy a good old fashioned sardine packed crocodile cafe show just as much as the next guy in a flannel. but doesn't it get tiring trying not to bump into the sweaty guy next to you during every concert??? the triple door gives me the opportunity to relax, take a seat, and not have to worry about squirming my way back up to it if i (gasp!) must use the ladies room. and, for those of you who cringe at the idea of advanced purchase...you can always attend a non-sold-out show and enjoy the standing room. but, methinks if there's a table/seat available, you'll sit in it.

2. drink service.
the most annoying part about seeing a show at a bar is having to push your way to said bar in order to order. at the triple door, a nice chap or gal will swing by your table in an extremely timely fashion (i'd say once every 1/2-3/4 of a drink, depending on your swilling technique) to check and see if you'd like some more. then, this same delightful human will bring you your tab during the encore...before the lights come up. what, you ask??? you mean i don't have to stand in the ridiculous line of folks waiting to close their tab before i leave? no, my friend, it's taken care of. and guess what? you've spent about the same amount on your ticket as you would have at the moore, the showbox, and less than the paramount. kudos to you.

3. food while you wait.
this is where this whole 'food blog reviewing a venue' part comes in. if you're like me you are generally early for a concert. you want to have a decent place to view from, you love the hit/miss/jewel in the rough aspect of a supporting act, and you sometimes get a little bored waiting for the music to finally start. fear no more, because the triple door gives you the option to come in up to 2 hours before the show and eat a delicious meal prepared by nextdoor neighbor wild ginger. if you're not familiar with wild ginger, it's a pretty popular seattle asian-fusion place that seems to always have a tremendous wait for a table. vegetarian and fishless options are readily available on the menu and delivered directly to your spot in the triple door lounge while you and your companion(s) await some sweet sweet music.
the menu is definitely carnivore driven, but there are a few veg options (good luck to you if eggplant isn't your thing. but, then again, if your a vegetarian...being picky about your vegetables probably isn't a good plan). a personal favorite is the thai passion tofu, a tofu and eggplant mixture with a ton of kafir lime and basil leaves in a sweet/tangy soy sauce. i will admit, though, that this dish isn't one you'd like to make an entire meal of. so, hopefully you and your partners in concert dining can do like me and mine did and share a little bit of everything around the table. so, do like i do, and consult what everyone is getting. if you're lucky, it won't be that darn 'princess prawns' and seem to pass by on just about every waiter's tray. seafood is gross enough, thank you, i certainly don't need to look it in the eye.


special tip: a big, comfy, high backed booth can be reserved (for the same price as any other ticket in the house) when you have a group of four, along with the option to pre-pay for food when you purchase your ticket. so, think about getting a group together, going on a double date, or taking your parents and sibling out for a night of great music, comfy seating, drinks delivered to your table, and delicious asian fusion cuisine. even if a few notes fall flat, you'll still be happy you went.

baby, it's been a while.

new years resolution: start freaking blogging again!
reason one: i love food.
reason two: people seem to enjoy reading what i think about food. i seem to enjoy writing what i think about food.
reason three: i can't really figure out why i lazed out on it in the first place.
reason four: fish is still the worst food EVER!

the downside is i'm SO POOR. probably the poorest i've ever been in my life. so i'm going to commit myself to one NEW (read: new to me) restaurant every month. to keep myself on track, i'm going to attempt to have one blog churned out every two weeks, with hopes of increasing it to once a week when i get myself back on track.

so, friends, my commitment to you and to myself is made. i'm here, i hate fishy foods, and i'm ready to take you on a tour of some of the best fishless options in the emerald city. AGAIN!

be still my eating heart...

i have discovered the holy grail of fatty breakfast foods. you who read my blog must know by now that i have more than a soft spot for any and all types of breakfast fare (particularly benedicts). to you who share my same love--behold and enjoy the CREAM CHEESE OMELET! found at wallingford standard blue star cafe and pub, this new favorite goes by the name "the brazilian" and hosts cream cheese, green onions, and thick-cut bacon inside a fluffy egg casing.

on this particular visit, i was accompanied by the lovely s. blue star, however, has been visited by yours truly several times before. expect to find ample seating, traditional diner options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and somewhat gruff service. usually, i'm particularly tough on the friendliness of waitstaff. blue star, however, gets an easy out. the ladies who have helped me in the past have never been particularly chatty or smiley, but i'll be damned if my water and coffee aren't always full and my food doesn't come out way before i expect it. honestly, who can complain about relying on the good conversation of compadres and a full cup of coffee???

blue star also boasts a fair benedict (still nothing, sadly, compared to my favorite at glo's) and a pretty darn good biscuits and gravy (if minus some of the brilliant portioning and pizzaz at mae's), as well as some delicious options for those who enjoy a more sweet breakfast. s had the macadamia nut waffle with optional fresh pineapple topping, and the bacon and pecan waffles seductively beckon from the menu page. also, let's not forget that there are copious lunch, dinner, drink, and happy hour options.

bottom line: for good classic american diner food at any time of the day--blue star will give you something new to sample for many many visits. don't miss the raspberry freezer jam on the table--it's DELICIOUS!!!

a phinney ridge favorite.

it's really suprising that it has taken me this long to blog about mae's on phinney ridge. this place is really the pinnacle of family run seattle breakfast joints, and i can't get enough of it. my first visit was a little over a year ago with my roomies, and i've been coming back steadily since then. with ever-changing breakfast options, ample seating, entertaining decor, and amazingly friendly service--mae's never manages to disappoint.
going into mae's on a weekend will guarantee a serious wait for a table, and you might even have to wait for one on a weekday as well. they operate on a really adorable honor system and have guests sign in with their name and number in party when they first come in. on my last visit, with my bestie g of course, we were actually sat at the same large table as another pair of women (appearing to also be besties). how european, mae's!
you really can't go wrong with anything on the menu, but the biscuits and gravy are absolutely phenominal! you have the choice of classic sausage gravy or vegetarian mushroom gravy, and they even offer an awesome half order (which comes with hashbrowns and 1 egg) that is the perfect amount of food. let's be honest, a full order of b & g is seriously mountaneous. the half order makes you feel not quite as guilty that you just chowed down on some gravy for breakfast. g is a huge fan of mae's oatmeal, which comes with an offering of brown sugar, walnuts, milk, and raisins to season to perfection.
if you're feeling frisky, mae's is also famous for offering "shake and eggs." you heard it here, mae's is the place where you can have a towering shake or smoothie to wash down your eggs, grits, and biscuits. mae calls it the breakfast of champions. now, i'm not one to turn down a challenge...but i've yet to try the combo. methinks it may just be the greatest hangover cure of all time. i'll keep you posted.

picture is of me and g getting ready to head into mae's for breakfast on the morning after my 22nd birthday!

vietnomnomnom.

this friday marked the 23rd anniversary of my lovely roomie m's birth! to celebrate, we put a wonderful group together and ventured to the highly recommended tamarind tree in the international district.
everyone seemed to have heard of this place but me...but i was excited to sample some vietnamese cuisine--as all i have had in the past is pho [which is always a win]. now, when i say that this place is tucked away, i really mean it. we had to poke our heads into a little 99cent shop to even figure out how to get there. upon arrival, however, it was definitely worth the hunt. take my advice, fellow foodies, when you make a reservation at the tamarind tree [and you should make one, especially on a weekend] try to do so on the patio. the covered area bosts a beautiful waterfall, lush bamboo and greenery, and is heated if need be. on this sunny friday evening, i couldn't ask for a better ambiance.
please, if you are a fan of cocktails--get a list. between the 10 of us we had lemongrass, kumquat, tamarind, and green tea martinis as well as a juicy pineapple mojito. the boys all manned up and had tsingtao--but i could see the hidden looks of envy as us girls swilled equal parts strong, fruity, and unique cocktails.
for starters, we split up some chicken satay and some amazing spring rolls. if i would have had it my way, i probably would have sat and munched on the spring rolls all meal. they were deliciously paired with peanut sauce, and sizably portioned. i, however, had to perform a minor ricepaper surgery on mine in order to extract a silly prawn. my neighboor in dining, the lovely roomie a, was happy to take it on.
now, i didn't get to sample every dish, but raves came all around for the coconut curry prawns and chili beef lemongrass. i sampled a new food, however, and went with the lotus root salad. at first, the lotus root was tangy, acidic, and a really intriguing flavor. but, after 3 or 4 pieces, i grew weary and found my chopsticks wandering to far away plates...
the star appeared to be roomie a's tamarind tree crepe. with the appearance of a large omlette or oversized taco and served with a pho-like platter of mint, lettuce and other greenery, the dish was daunting. the combination of a rice batter and coconut milk shell with the fillings of bean sprout, shiitake mushrooms, and mung beans was completely delictable. and while a had the dish riddled with sea creatures, i will probably opt for the vegetarian version on my next trip to the tamarind tree.
dessert was a personal sized ginger mousse with a candle in it especially for the birthday girl. i [of course] snuck a more-than-tiny nibble, and it was pretty perfect. i can't wait for my next visit!

the homiest of happy hours.

ladies, i suggest you make sure that sundays between 5-7 remain open on your calendars. that way, you can be sure to visit bottlehouse (a newly opened madrona wine bar) for their amazing 5 at 5 deal. resident viticulture specialist and bar owner, henri, will choose a wine for you based on your preferences--and pour you a sizable glass for just 5 dollars! and these aren't the shitty house wine pours of happy hours everywhere, these are beautiful, local, hand-selected wines.
bottlehouse is the neighbor of a personal breakfast favorite, the hi-spot, in a beautifully renovated madrona house. the interior is fun, simple, and completely comfortable--decorated and designed by henri's partner and co-owner, soni. i was ready to settle down and stay for the whole happy hour period (and then some).
now, for those of you who can't just sip wine and be content (ahem.....me!) there are also delicious snacks on the menu. they are served to share, and favorably priced. my group decided on some delicious green cerignola olives, beecher's cheese curds, and a baguette with olive oil.
as for accommodation of those who are not inclined to enjoy the vino--bottlehouse offers several select beers, hot lips soda varieties, and rootbeer floats! i suggest you all go out visit bottlehouse...and soon. before long, this place is going to really catch on and be predictably packed. make yourself a regular as soon as possible, you won't regret it.