Today's plans involved finding our way up to Fremont where we would do a chocolate tour at the Theo Chocolate Factory in the afternoon. We slept in and chose to hit Baguette Box for a late lunch. They're a short walk away from Theo's storefront.
Baguette Box
626 N 34th St
Seattle, WA 98103
http://www.baguettebox.com/
I always joked about Gourmet banh mi with my friends but I didn't think it actually existed. It's a little pricy for a baguette.
Theo Chocolate
3400 Phinney Ave N
Seattle, WA 98103
http://www.theochocolate.com/
Everyone loved this baby:
Kaname Izakaya
610 S Jackson St
Seattle, WA 98104
http://www.kaname-izakaya.com/
Tori no kara-age: This dish was actually a failure. It was way too oily and overcooked.
Uli's Famous Sausages
1511 Pike Pl
Seattle, WA 98101
http://www.ulisfamoussausage.com/ (complete with picture of Uli)
Also missed out on some cheese curds.
Though my last breakfast in Seattle had some memorable waffles at Arosa. The owner, Hans, is a talkative and friendly guy.
Seattle, WA
(no website)
Fresh, hot miniature snack waffles for $2 a pop and some delicious Swiss hot chocolate was a great way to conclude such a fun weekend. The sweetness in the waffles is not overpowering and they had a crispy, caramelized texture. I saw some folks grabbing paninis, which smelled very delicious too.
I have got to go back to Seattle more often. On this particular October weekend, I was fortunate that Dallas and Seattle decided to switch places as far as weather goes. It was dreary and overcast in Dallas while Seattle experienced bright and sunny weather that was absolutely gorgeous.
The first order of business was to capitalize on the weather by waiting in line at Salumi, a deli with cured meats that is owned by the father of Mario Batali. A meat lover's nirvana.
Salumi
309 3rd Ave S
Seattle, WA 98104-2620
http://www.salumicuredmeats.com/
With a pretty day like this, of course there would be a line! It is nice that the employees wander down the line and pass out samples, which can easily sway your mind after you've convinced yourself that you know what to order.
We shared the sampler plate and wow, it's pretty.
I can't even begin to name all the meats and cheeses on this mesmerizing platter.
Next stop was Pike Place Market, did some more wandering around.
http://www.pikeplacemarket.org
It was getting later in the day, about time for happy hour. A buddy of mine from Chowhound suggested hitting up this tapas restaurant and turns out, happy hour at Taberna Del Alabardero is a good place to be.
Taberna Del Alabardero
2328 1st Ave
(between Alaskan Way Viaduct & Battery St)
Seattle, WA 98121
http://www.alabardero.com/seattle/index.html
At Taberna Del Alabardero, we had a variation called huevos rotos con virutas de iberico, or broken eggs over french fries and Iberican ham, and for such a simple dish, it is quite decadent. I think some places do it with serrano ham too. Again, many thanks to Kirk!
Wann Izakaya
2020 2nd Ave
Seattle, WA 98121
http://www.wann-izakaya.com/
Had a mix of several dishes here and it was great to share. Prices were pretty cheap for drinks and the small plates. Very fun place.
Snow's BBQ
516 Main Street
Lexington, TX 78947
http://www.snowsbbq.com/
I was staying in Austin during Labor Day weekend and the trip out here involved waking up at 6:30 to arrive at 8 AM, where a line about 30 deep awaited me. Needless to say, I would happily make this trek again and again.
I picked up some brisket, ribs, and sausage and situated myself outside on the picnic tables amidst a thick envelope of smoke.
The brisket is without comparison. Every bite was packed with incredible, delicious, smoky flavor. The texture was lean, exceptionally moist and tender, and the crust was perfectly formed. It was like eating candy.
Ribs fell right off the bone and also had plenty of smoke flavor.
Sausage was the least outstanding of the three, but regardless, it still had an outstanding smoke flavor profile. The casing had a nice snap to it.
The whole experience is nothing short of amazing and I can't wait to go back!
Snow's BBQ
516 Main Street
Lexington, TX 78947
http://www.snowsbbq.com/
I was staying in Austin during Labor Day weekend and the trip out here involved waking up at 6:30 to arrive at 8 AM, where a line about 30 deep awaited me. Needless to say, I would happily make this trek again and again.
I picked up some brisket, ribs, and sausage and situated myself outside on the picnic tables amidst a thick envelope of smoke.
The brisket is without comparison. Every bite was packed with incredible, delicious, smoky flavor. The texture was lean, exceptionally moist and tender, and the crust was perfectly formed. The caramelization made the whole thing melt in your mouth and the experience was like eating candy.
Ribs fell right off the bone and also had plenty of smoke flavor.
Sausage was the least outstanding of the three, but regardless, it still had an outstanding smoke flavor profile. The casing had a nice snap to it.
The whole experience is nothing short of amazing and I can't wait to go back!
Starters: I ordered the Welsh Rarebit while my companions shared the French Fish Soup with Rouille and Croutons and the Chicken Onion
The Chicken Onion was a pretty simple dish. Some chicken skin with a little bit of meat on top of some sweet red onion. The skin was crispy with a little bit of char, and had just the right amount of grease, which unfortunately, changed the sweetness of the red onion.
The amberjack looked more like a steak to me, but as I tore into
the fish, it tasted quite similar to tuna. The fish was slightly tart
and worked well with the lemony zest of the mashed potatoes. Overall,
the fish was much larger than I expected and it was quite a challenge
to finish. Bitter kale seems like something you either love or hate and
I wasn't a fan at all. I couldn't touch it after two bites.
The pork belly was like lechon that could stand alone without sauce, and was executed extremely well. After penetrating the crispy skin, the thick meat inside is tender and the fat is juicy but not overpoweringly greasy.Just like the other entree, the pork belly was quite massive and polishing it off required a combined effort. I was more than happy to assist in the defeating the pork belly and didn't think about trying the sides that came.
My dessert was an apple, plum, and pear tart. This portion was actually pretty small, but it made sense considering the quantity of the rest of the courses. The fruits tasted very fresh and balanced sweet and sour without being overwhelmingly tart.
Four Winds Steakhouse
21191 FM 47
Wills Point, TX 75169
http://www.fourwindssteakhouse.com/
Last weekend several car clubs got together and coordinated a trip out to Wills Point. One of the organizers collaborated with the steakhouse's owner, who kindly accomodated our large group for lunch. The drive out here is a vacation in itself as they are located close to where I-20 meets FM 47.
This 1100 acre tract was once the home of Cowboys player Lee Roy Jordan. Driving into the steakhouse takes you through a windy, twisting driveway into a parking lot that has a few trees, providing some relief against the Texas heat. Looking out to the horizon, there was rolling grass and roaming cattle as far as the eye could see. As you make your way into the steakhouse, you step onto a lengthy porch with several rocking chairs. You can also also catch a slight glimpse of the 15-acre pond full of bass.
The steakhouse occupied a rustic building, which was formerly a ranch home built with cedar wood. Passing through the hostess station, you get a good view of the wine racks in the bar. The dining room's tall ceilings and wood fixtures looked spectacular. A staircase allows access to the second level. On the second level, a balcony overlooks the vast dining area and there is also a small room housing pieces of art that reflect the owner's enthusiasm for motorsports.
We were provided with a prix-fixe menu. Salad and bread started the meal. Entree choices included 6 oz Filet Mignot, 12 oz Ribeye, or 12 oz NY Strip, and for dessert, we could choose between Chocolate Mousse or Strawberry Cheesecake. Shortly after placing our orders, the owner got everyone's attention to tell us more about the meal we were about to enjoy . These steaks from the Midwest are hand-selected, aged, and grain fed. Their specialty is a 26 oz ribeye with peppercorn sauce, which I definitely plan on trying in the future. The man behind the grill is a former chef from Del Frisco's, Frank Rumore.
My selections were the 12 oz Ribeye cooked medium-rare and chocolate mousse. The bread went extremely fast for two reasons: we were hungry from the drive, and it was wonderful. Biting through the crispy crust leads into a fluffy texture, and I even thought the bread already had butter inside of it. The salads came next and all of the greens tasted like they had just come fresh out of a garden.
And for the main event. The ribeye looked absolutely gorgeous with a remarkable sear and some peppercorns on top. Making my first cut into the thick steak exposed a cool red center. And the steak, well, it was like taking another odyssey. You go through a little bit of char on the first bite of the supple meat which is full of flavor, and then you go into the luscious fat. Absolutely delicious. There were also two side dishes made up of fresh vegetables: green beans and mashed potato. I only found one flaw with the green beans which tasted just a tiny bit too oily. Mashed potatoes were creamy and hearty as this side melted in my mouth, leaving a little grease on the plate after I'd finished it.
The chocolate mousse showed up shortly after and it was a generous portion that never seemed to end. Very rich but not oversugared with a smooth texture.
The fine cuts of meat and amazing scenery make Four Winds the definition of a true Texas steakhouse. Taking a trip out to Wills Point is indeed an epic journey and it is certainly an expedition full of reward.
Quick disclosure: from this point forward, I'll be using my vox account for my food blog. Easy URL to remember and the design is already there.
La Palapa Veracruzana
118 W. Jefferson Blvd.
Dallas TX 75208
http://www.lapalapaveracruzana.com
I went south with a buddy for a meal at La Palapa Veracruzana, and I am now thoroughly convinced that I'll have to start making many, many more pilgrimmages to Oak Cliff.
I took my first foray into the Oak Cliff area's food scene over Memorial Day weekend when I had lunch at Hattie's in the Bishop Arts District, just one section of Oak Cliff packed full of good restaurants. Wander just a few miles to the east and you'll find yourself at Jefferson Boulevard, which has a vast stretch of Mexican eateries similar to how taco trucks have established themselves all over Long Point in Houston. If I remember the numbers correctly, there's over 50 along the 3 mile stretch near Jefferson.
As the name implies, La Palapa Veracruzana's dishes come from a specific Mexican region. Veracruz is located in the southeast area of Mexico and has an impressive Gulf coastline. The cuisine in their region places a huge emphasis on seafood.
Enmoladas are tortillas dipped in a sweet mole with cheese and onions, and there's a hint of beef in the mole. They're similar to enfrijolada's, which are dipped tortillas except in a black bean sauce. Just take my word for it and give the enmoladas a shot, I've never had anything like this dish before.
This fine specimen is Huachinango a la Veracruzana (red snapper in a spicy tomato sauce). I started gaining a fondness for red snapper ever since the trip to Puerto Rico and the Veracruzan preparation of this fish has quickly skyrocketed into being my favorite variation. I should've put something next to the dish that would let you compare the size of that huge snapper. The fish had very crispy skin, but the meat inside retained every bit of moisture and finished very clean. The spicy sauce on top has tomato, onion, capers, various peppers, bay leaves and carrots. Amazing. This dish is the main event, the true reason to come down here, and it really makes this place special.
What kind of pacific islander would pass up some platanos fritos? Their take on fried plantains adds some creme and shredded cheese. It had just the right amount of brown sugar and adding the creme made me think I was eating a crepe. Delicious.
They're finally getting some overdue press coverage. Go down there and show them your support.
I already plan on coming back here with a bigger group to sample larger variety of dishes. If you didn't look at that link, they have their own take on adobo!
on Feast (Houston, TX)