Dining Out: The Coterie Room, Seattle WA (Belltown)

 Here we go, another gastropub (ghetto talk: you're gonna spend some serious coin on grub and booze) enters the Seattle food scene.  The Coterie Room is located in the very hip and wild night-life area of Belltown in the former Restaurant Zoe space (which has moved up to Capitol Hill).

Seattle Met Mag's November 2011 issue declared The Coterie Room among the best 25 restaurants in Seattle 2011.  With words like, "strong culinary identities and consistency of execution" and "where the food dazzles with invention and intention"  I had to ask myself, "Oh, really Ms. Kathryn Robinson?"  Bring it on!
Parking can be challenging and valet parking is offered on a limited basis.  The space is fresh and classy.  I'm especially drawn to the wall of fake ferns and plants (you'll just have to go there to see what I'm talking about).  I love the white and dark wood which to me yells "clean" and "classy" and "pricey".  The dining room is very open, and there is an area for bar patrons to sit on tables or at the bar.

I've dined for lunch and weekend brunch and both times have not been a disappointment.

Oddly enough there is a menu entry which reads: A Six Pack Of Beer For The Crew $10, the crew works hard to deliver great food, drink and service. Show them your appreciation.  Wow, haven't seen that before!

During my most recent visit, we ate the following:

Painted Hills Beef Burger - My son enjoyed this very much.  Said it was one of the best burgers he eaten (thank goodness, maybe he'll never want a fast food burger again)
Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich - Husband enjoyed it and really liked the aioli that accompanied the sandwich and slaw.
Smashed Potatoes - For sharing....an upscale hasbrown where whole baby potatoes are light smashed and pan fried to form a crisp crust.  The garlic aioli for dipping was fantastic!
Granola and Yogurt - I was thrown off by the puffed farrow, which was chewy and offered a different texture than traditional granola.  I found myself merely content and not overly blown away (I've had mind blowing granola before.)
Fruit Plate - A welcoming display of fruits including the non-traditional mango.

Dessert - my one experience with dessert was not favorable.  It was a rhubarb tart which was almost impossible to eat gracefully.  The tart shell was so thick and hard that I almost cracked the plate cutting into it.  Food, delicious.  Sweets, not so much.

The Coterie Room is worth a meal if you're in the area.  If you can look past the above average prices on their menu, then you'll have a positive experience.  I know that we are looking forward to a future evening (dinner menu) visit.

Dining Out: Buddha Ruska, Seattle WA (W. Seattle)

I've dined here for dinner, and most recently for lunch.  I met some dear friends I hadn't seen in years, so we shared an amazing lunch.

Buddha Ruska is a Thai restaurant located in West Seattle.  There is street parking, and depending on what time of the day, it can be challenging. 

We arrived early and were seated promptly.  The main dining area is small and the tall ceilings make for a terrible echo.  Decor is reminiscent of Thailand, very fitting for this restaurant.  Service for our table was very attentive.  There is a separate lunch and dinner menu with several offerings.  Lunch comes with their house vegetable soup.

We ordered the following and shared everything "family style":
Garlic Chicken - this dish is not offered on the lunch menu.  To many, this is also referred to as "crack chicken" because it is addicting.  The chicken is moist and has a delicious chili, garlic coating.  It's topped with cilantro and fried basil.  Also comes in tofu or shrimp.
Fresh Spring Rolls - These were pretty standard and vegetarian.  The accompanying peanut sauce was a little thick but tasted great with the rolls.
PadSeeIew - Traditional wide noodles with beef in a delicious black bean sauce.  These were good but I found the noodles to be a little too cooked for my taste.
Yellow Curry - Three stars with chicken.  The coconut milk really comes out in this dish.  It was rich and fabulous.
Thai Iced Coffee - A strong coffee sweetened with condensed milk is always a delicious addition to a Thai meal.

We arrived right at opening (11:00am) and when we left the dining room was packed.  As we walked out, each table had garlic chicken.  Tip: order the garlic chicken.

Out And About: Bakery Nouveau, Seattle WA (W. Seattle)

I'm passionate about pastries.  I think in my next life I will be a pastry chef.  I don't necessarily like to eat everything I make, but I do enjoy being the kitchen.

If you like baked goods and confections, then head to Bakery Nouveau in West Seattle.  They are located on California Ave (aka the junction) and offer street parking and a lot in the rear of the building.

If you go on a weekend morning, you are almost guaranteed to stand in line and wait.  If you'd like to sit and eat your treats immediately, you'll want to snag one of their 7 tables.

As you enter, the food case just about occupies the length of the retail area.  Starting with an area of candies and chocolates you'll move through sandwiches, cakes and confections then lastly their sweet and savory pastries.  There are also loaves, baguettes and other artisan breads available.  With the exception of their brownies (I am not a fan) I don't think there is a bad item at Bakery Nouveau.  If you need something to wash it all down, they do offer espresso drinks as well as a very small selection of sodas and juice.

Recommended Menu Items:  Plain croissant (one of the best in the city), twice baked croissant (almond and chocolate), classic chocolate cake.
Beyond the cash register (and you'll pay decent coin for their delectable treats) you can peak into the kitchen to watch the magic being created.

Thumbs up for this European bakery.

Dining Out: Eleven Madison Park, New York, NY

image from New York Journal

On my most recent trip to NYC I planned a culinary food (and unfortunately, wallet breaking) tour - I wanted to eat like a New Yorker and enjoy the foods of the big apple.

High on the list of restaurants on various blogs, websites and reviews was Eleven Madison Park located in the Flatiron district of Manhattan.  I did my research and asked a trusted fellow foodie (thanks, Manh N) if this place was worthy of the "coin" I was going to pay for this meal.  Yes!  Reservations made (I was lucky to get a table) and I had to make sure we packed proper attire as this is a "jacket required" establishment.

Note: I did not take pictures.  I was too embarrassed to be snapping pictures in this highly acclaimed, three Michelin star restaurant.  On their website there are fantastic photos of the dishes as well as videos which are magical!

The space is "grand".  The ceilings are high and reminded me and my dining partners of a bank - and of course we were spot on.  The folks at EMP really did a great job with the decor.

We were seated immediately and taken care of to help us settle in for our 4 course dinner.  Let me mention now that the service was top notch!  Our every need was taken care of.

Fancy restaurants serve what is called an amuse-bouche which is french for "mouth amuser".  It's a bite sized gift from the kitchen so you don't know what it is.  Like any gift, accept it graciously and enjoy!

In addition, hot from the oven dinner rolls are served throughout the meal.  They are very buttery and the offering of freshly churned goat and dairy butter is just over the top!

The menu is a piece of paper with four foods across and down.  You choose one from each row to represent the main ingredient in each course.  Basically, it's a surprise meal but you'll know what the focus of the dish will be.  Of course you are in control and the waitstaff will ask if you have food allergies or aversions to anything so to prepare a fabulous meal catered to you.

What I ordered:  Foie Gras, Black Truffle, Pork & Chocolate

Without boring you with each individual dish and all the silly foodie descriptions I'll summarize.  Foie Gras was seared and fantastic.  I love black truffles and the salad was delicious.  Pork was prepared sous-vide then bruleed for a fantastic crust (ghetto talk: food in an airtight zip lock, placed in really warm water for several hours to cook) and dessert was the "icing on the cake".

We had a few additional gifts from the kitchen to end our meal comprised of their interpretations of NYC foods - orange soda and black & white cookies.

A surprise visit from the chef was intimidating, yet was a beautiful touch.  He, as well as a visiting chef made their way around the dining room.

When presented with our check, two things stood out.  First, it was hand written.  No computer print out - just a simple hand written note and the numbers $695.  Secondly the pen that accompanied our bill was a silver Cross pen.  That is pretty classy!

photo by miranda xsavier
e. coast correspondent, www.almostFitToEat.com

With a thank you from our waitress, we were handed a bag which contained a jar of their house made granola.  What a perfect way to remember our meal from the night before.

What an incredible dining experience.  My dining companions had a wonderful time too.  What an amazing New York experience.  If you're in NYC, you'll want to dine here.  It's absolutely an unforgettable meal.  I will go again.

Dining Out: Stone Korean Restaurant, Redmond WA

Korean in downtown Redmond?
Stone Korean Restaurant has (IMO) the best Bibim Bop in the area.  What is that?  It's a traditional Korean dish that is served in a HOT clay bowl.  Inside you'll find rice (that is sizzling from the intense heat) topped with a variety of veggies like bean sprouts, carrots, shitake mushrooms, zucchini, dried seaweed.  Some may have beef.  And it's all topped with a raw egg which gets cooked by the hot clay pot.  You are also given a bottle of hot sauce that is a combination of heat and fermented soy beans.  You pour so you determine the heat.

Preparing to eat - stir you ingredients, hear the sizzle and notice the crust that is formed on the rice.  Steam rises.  The smell of all the flavors just blend in together for a fantastic one pot dish.  It's fantastic.

In addition to this lunch special, I enjoyed a bowl of miso soup (nothing special) and a great assortment of side dishes the Koreans call banchan.  It rotates but on this day I got pickled cucumbers, kim chee, peppered bean sprouts, potato salad, colesalw, and fishcake.

They have an extensive menu - every Korean dish you can think of.

Tip: It's located in the Value Village shopping plaza.  It's way in the back.  Big parking lot but seems to be always full.  Service can be a little slow.  Clip the coupon from the Community Shopper.