Spinassi

I finally made my way to Spinassi. Wow! I can see why one of the Seattle magazines named it best new restaurant for 2008. I've been there 2 times and it lived up to the hype. First time I had the Ravioli di tapinambur al al burro e salvia con pignoli ( I didn't remember this, I copied from their menu.). It's basically a simple ravioli. It was good but what I really wanted to eat was the Tajarin al burro e salvia which is simple fresh ribbon of pasta with butter, sage, and cheese. Really simple but amazing. Soung had ordered this and I took a bunch of bites. So the second time I went, I ordered this. I also had miner's lettuce for the first time. Boy it was so fresh and what eating organic is meant to be. They are really delicate with their dressing, sauces, and flavors. (I also tasted miner's lettuce salad at Lark and it was not the same.) For dessert (because you should know by now, I alwasy get dessert, sometime two. :)), we had this chocolate terrine. Again amazing though it would have tasted better with some fresh berries. They also have this 2 dollar hazelnut mereingue cookie which is really tasty. I also ordered the dessert wine with my meal. I'm really into sweet white wines. This one was a muscat and bubbly. It was so freshing! The first time I went, we didn't have reservations so sat at the bar next to this older gentleman who found out is a regular. He goes there once a week without his wife (when we were there) and order the same thing each time. He has the simple pasta with butter and sage, the hazelnut cookie, and the same dessert wine. He was a hoot! Made fun conversation with us. The owner came out and greeted him like an old friend. I wish that was us. I'm so in awe of people who are so great in their craft.

Baguette Box

Photo from Baguette Box website.

Yummy!!!!

I love this place. I had lunch there today and had the tofu sandwich which is very much like a Vietnamese sandwich. It's a warm and savory sandwich with braised tofu, fresh green slices of avocado, red onions, pickled diakon, cilantro, some yellow sauce like favored mayo.

I also had their fries. Oh my god! So crispy and salty. One order is good for 2 people. I could only eat half. I'm PMSing too so would think I could eat the whole thing.

Highly recommend this place! For meat eater, there is so much more. Carolyn had the drunken chicken sandwich.

They were featured a few years ago in Bon Appetite magazine as one of top 20 sandwich places in America or something like that.

It doesn't hurt the guy who works there has really pretty eyes with really long eye lashes.

They also want you to bring pic of your dog to post.

Lark

It was my friend Debbie's birthday and we went to Lark to celebrate.

I can't say it was all that it was hyped to be. I know the place has been around for 5 years and everyone always rave about it but it wasn't all that for me.

It was good and more fun because we had an occassion to celebrate but I was expecting more. We had the following:

Starters

• 3 Cheeses of Buenalba Drunken Goat, Bleu D’Auvergne, I forgot the third.
• Marcona almonds, marinated olives, and preserved quince

Sides

• Pommes de terre "Robuchon"
• Warm asparagus bagna caudawith poached egg and miner’s lettuce
• Sautéed half wild mushroomswith garlic, olive oil and sea salt
• Bluebird Grain Farms farrowith nettles and roasted oyster mushrooms

Main

• Black seabass with green almonds,ramps, honshimeiji mushroom and lemon
• Manila clams with chorizo,garlic, baby kale and Olsen’s potatoes

Dessert

• Apricot tarte tatinwith rum caramel and vanilla bean ice cream
• Chocolate madeleineswith Theo organic dark chocolate sauce

Nothing was bad but it just wasn't great. All the food are served family style or tapas style but there wasn't that much to share. I think you get more from Poppy's thali for one person. Their service and attention to detail was great. I love the simple syrup they served in petite jar for my iced tea. The olive oil that dreched the olives and almond had amazing flavor. Would I go back...not sure.

Will catch up this weekend!

It has been crazy busy! Has 2 months already passed! Wow... Well...did homeless cooking last month so have great pics of great food we made. Will go this month one this coming Sat. Went to Carmalita last night and oh my! Most beautiful food. I have pics I will post once Soung sends them to me. Went to Spinassi too a few weeks ago. Great simple food! I've Miner's lettuce or something like that. There's more and I'll just lump into one. I also made some homemade salty caramel sauce for someone's bday and it was so lovely. Got a great note about it from her. Dear friends, when it's your bday, this is what I'm giving you.... More to come later with pics!