Dilettante Mocha Cafe & Chocolate Martini Bar

Price: $$
Thoughts: ☆☆☆½
Dilettante Mocha Cafe & Chocolate Martini Bar: Menu

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Their cake of the day: Mint Ice Cream Cake (slightly to the left of the center)

After burning our stomach with the spicy and salty Laotian food we needed something cold and sweet to finish off the night. I opted to try someplace else rather than going for the "easy win" with B & O Espresso's Chocolate Pot.

Broadway always has lots of places to try and almost has a similar feel to Robson Street up in Vancouver (except not as large). Chocolate was still the target theme and a mocha cafe is as close as it gets.


Our little booth

We seated ourselves inside a cozy little booth and hunted for what would best suit our cravings. I got a quick glance at their hot chocolate section and felt compelled to get one (next best thing to chocolate soy milk).

We were torn between several options between the Strawberry Chantilly and Chocolate Rendezvous from their Patisseries as well as their Dilettante Coupe and their special Mint Chocolate Brownie from their Ice Cream section (the menu provided in the link appears to be out of season as Huckleberry was not available but instead Salted Caramel was). We settled for the Rendezvous and Coupe in the end.


Hot Dark Chocolate with whipped cream


Dilettante Coupe served with mint, strawberry, and salted caramel ice cream


Chocolate Rendezvous

This is probably the thickest whipped cream I have ever had in my life. It definitely helped cool down the hot chocolate which had a nice very light bitter taste (I like my chocolate dark). I will probably pass on the whipped cream next time or ask for half the portion of it. The rendezvous was fluffy with a nice layer of frosting that tasted sweet but not exceeding my low level of tolerance to sweets. The coupe however was the highlight of the three items. The ice cream showed little resistance to my casual prodding with my fork and the salted caramel ice cream was simply sublime.

Sometimes our eyes are bigger than our stomachs, as in this case we definitely over-ordered but we agreed to finish the coupe and hot chocolate and just box up the rest of the cake.

The atmosphere makes it a great place to spend time with someone without worries of distractions or feeling rushed at all.

Viengthong

Price: $$
Thoughts: ☆☆☆
(Website and Menu not available)

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I have never really explored much for varying Asian ethnic dishes aside from the usual Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, and Chinese food. When Laotian food was mentioned I could only make a very loose assumption that it would be similar to Filipino food. The mention of a papaya salad also intrigued me deeply and my curiosity was creating fantastic images of what it could look like.


a basket full of sticky rice + som tum + sien savanh

This was also when I realized what a papaya really looks like in this salad. Which was a white pale look that had a similar texture to daikon. Without much thought we got the Som Tum (papaya salad) with three stars (typically recognized in Thai restaurants when the waiter/waitress will ask you how many stars out of four or five in how spicy you would like your meal to be) out of three.

Along with this we got the Sien Savanh (Lao Beef Jerky) with a basket of their sticky rice. Another thing that surprised me was how dry the sticky rice was compared to what I had imagined in my head (that being the kinds you find wrapped in leaves from dim sum carts). We ate everything with our bare hands. It felt a little odd at first, but I grew comfortable with it and let the rest of my fingers join in (rather than just using my thumb and index only).

Now I may love spicy food. But when you ask for three stars here, keep in mind that you will be eating something beyond your capability unless you are completely impervious to peppers. Expect a pitcher of water to be drained as well as frequent breaks to breathe in through your mouth and out through your nose. The salad was still great, just a bit too much on the spicy side.

The sien savanh was very good. At a glance I was expecting it to be very tough to chew like what most beef jerky tends to be. But it's rigid exterior hid it's deceptively soft and tender inside. I could've eaten another whole plate of this.

The service was what I kind of expected from the moment I walked in the door. The waitress seated us, and left us on our own for a good length of time. The occasional checkup with us would happen once every 15 or so minutes and she would plant herself back in front of the television. However the time from when we placed our order to receiving the cooked goods was astoundingly fast.

If you want a good helping of what I would label as Asian 'soul' food, this would definitely be it. Get their papaya salad with one star or two. Three if you're really looking to sniffle and sweat. Also, this is a cash only establishment so make sure you have some before you come in! Each dish is about $10.

Palomino

Price: $$
Thoughts: ☆☆☆½
Palomino: Menu

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the Happy Hour menu

I have always been a fan of the thin crust pizzas over the typical rolled crusts. With that being said it is safe to assume that I have not ever ventured outside of Palomino's Happy Hour selection (namely their flat bread and pizzas) primarily due to the fact that $6.00 for a whole pizza is hard to pass on.


Incredible Pepperoni Pizza


Sicillian Meatball Flat bread

We started with two pizzas, their Incredible Pepperoni Pizza and the Sicilian Meatball flat bread. Both which we had them divide the cheese onto only half of each of them. There also was a miscommunication on the meatball order and we ended up with just their Sicilian Meatball appetizer. Which I deeply regret letting them take away.


Sicilian Meatball Appetizer

Between the two pizzas the Sicilian Meatballs won without a contest. Juicy and just the right amount of spiciness that left a pleasant feeling lingering after each bite. I'm surprised I had missed this one before. The pepperoni was just as you expected, your ordinary pepperoni pizza.


Rotisserie Chicken Flatbread, Watercress pesto + roasted peppers + romano cheese

We ended up sharing one more pizza, the Rotisserie Chicken Flatbread, which we could not finish. I initially had mistook the watercress for baby spinach but the taste was different. Very flavorful and almost looked like a salad, but the Sicilian pizza was still the winner for the night.

A great place for a quick fix after work or just to unwind with friends. The restaurant itself takes up the entire top floor (save for the restrooms) of the shopping plaza.

B & O Espresso

Price: $$
Thoughts: ☆☆☆☆☆
B & O Espresso: Dessert Menu

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THE Chocolate Pot

After dinner at Wann's I wanted to share this little cafe to end the night on the highest possible note (which it did!). I had discovered B & O Espresso many years ago as part of branching out and exploring. It had become the place for me to turn to when I needed a dessert fix. There is only one thing that I ever order here, and that is their chocolate pot. There is just simply no way to describe how addictive this small little almost-soufflé is.

Served in a large ramekin with a spoonful of house made whipped cream, it is just a simple combination that keeps itself from tasting too sweet, but enough to have people who do not care for desserts (such as myself) to come running to.


Strawberry Italian Soda

To add to this we also shared a strawberry Italian soda, which was a nice addition. This place also has it's good share of Middle Eastern food and fondues as well. But if this is your first visit, you must get the chocolate pot, no questions asked.

Wann Japanese Izakaya

Price: $$
Thoughts: ☆☆☆½
Wann Japanese Izakaya: Menu

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I wanted to surprise my girlfriend with Japanese food from a place that got pretty good recommendations from several friends. However, Seattle decided to drop a windstorm mixed with torrential rain.

We had arrived an hour too early (it opened at 4PM), so we took shelter at the Starbucks next door. I got my usual (Venti Chocolate Soy Milk) and found a $100 laying on the floor as well, this day is going well so far. After we warmed up a bit, the Starbucks closed at 4PM (pretty early if you ask me for a Sunday) which worked out fine since Wann would be open by then.


Miso Soup


Spicy Tuna Crunch Roll (back), Unagi Roll (left), Spider Roll (right)

To start off we went with two bowls of miso soup followed by a Spicy Tuna Crunch, Unagi, and Spider roll. It still boggles my mind to know that there are people who think that miso soup has a taste comparable to mud. Then again I have not had mud before, but if this were true I could just eat mud instead, that is cheaper.

I regret not taking a picture of their bar that we sat across from. It was well arranged and an art in it's own right.


Mecha Godzilla Roll, seared kobe beef tataki covered asparagus, cream cheese, cilantro with habanero teriyaki sauce, spicy aioli, wasabi mayo


Robata Grill sampler

About halfway through the rolls I ordered the Mecha Godzilla Roll and their sampler platter from the grilled meats portion of the menu. The roll was nowhere near as spicy as advertised (if you want a spicy roll Umi's Hotter than Hell roll will have you draining your water). It was still good, but I would have expected the beef to be hot, but it was warm (leaning towards the cool side) but still tasted very good.

The grill sampler had bacon-wrapped prawns, chicken yakitori, shiitake mushroom skewers, and a pork falafel of some sort. Of the lot, the chicken was the best, although the pork was also pretty good. There was an odd aftertaste in the beef too, which was pointed out to me. The shrimp wasn't bad, but a little on the salty side, maybe a little bit of mustard would have been a good compliment to it. Anyways, this place is definitely worth a visit.

For those who looked carefully did you see the "hand" she gave me with taking each of these pictures?

Park Chow

Price: $$
Thoughts: ☆☆☆½
Park Chow: Menu

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The Dinner Menu

After dinner at the Bistro 9 we went to Park Chow, which was only a few steps away. The entrance to the place sported a rather thick looking curtain which opened into their entrance which was well-heated with many heat lamps.

This place was very packed when we came in. Seating did not take long at all which was surprising, or convenient that a table just opened up as we came in. I was told that she only gets one thing here, which was a dessert. Their ginger cake. I was a bit scared since I am mildly allergic to ginger. I took the plunge and went along with it.


ginger cake with pumpkin ice cream and whipped cream

Thankfully there was not a lot of ginger inside the cake so I was able to enjoy the cake without any reaction that I could notice. I really enjoyed the unusual combination of a ginger cake coupled with pumpkin ice cream. Definitely a good pair. We split one order and it disappeared as quickly as it came.


fin

A great way to end the night with a non-heavy dessert. I would like to try their food sometime as well. There were lots of pleasant smells all over the air. I should have eaten more slowly to enjoy the atmosphere and good company. But habits are hard to break, especially when it comes to eating slower.

Bistro 9

Price: $$
Thoughts: ☆☆☆½
Bistro 9: Menu

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Bistro 9's Menu


A chalk easel with today's specials

One of the two restaurants I went to while in San Francisco visiting a friend and my family over the Christmas holiday. She frequents this restaurant after work and suggested we give it a shot.

There is something about hand drawn chalk menus that really attracts me. Bistro 9 had a nice one sitting just outside of it's entrance. I did notice that it was a bit on the empty side but hey it wasn't peak hours (not to mention it was the day before Christmas). So as always, reservations aside I went in with an open-mind.


House bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar


The Moussaka: eggplant + potatoes +onions + mushrooms + cheese + served with couscous

Her usual choice is the moussaka (which I almost got, but opted for a suggestion made by the waitress). I was given a pretty generous share of her plate and it was definitely good. Unlike most dishes I've had with eggplant, it's taste did not overpower the dish as a whole. Which worked out nicely (then again Indian food does not hold back on spices).


the lamb moussaka

As for myself, I ended up with the Lamb Moussaka. I am a little preferential to lamb meat. Okay I lied, I'm very partial to it. Anyways, the meal went down really quickly and the meat was very tender as I should expect.

This place despite it's lack of customers that night is definitely worth making a visit to, especially to those who love Indian food.

Quinn's

Price: $$
Thoughts: ☆☆☆☆½
Quinn's: Menu

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Today would be what felt like the hottest day since the heat wave we had last month and resorted to taking cold showers (three of them over the course of six hours) to keep myself from perishing under the heat. Having a condo on the third floor will continue to haunt me during my summer days.

After looking through possible places to eat out at we settled for this gastropub which told us that they had air conditioning; something I wish all homes in Seattle were equipped with. What made this place stand out from the typical bar was they served foie gras, which was praised by several customers as being worth trying.

Quinn's is located at the Southern end of Broadway about a block south of Cal Anderson Park in Capitol Hill, one of the most difficult places to find parking. As we drove past it we could see it was packed full, with a small line leading to it. We were told the wait time was about 15 minutes.

We both already settled initially for something light, and their Wild Boar sloppy joe was apparently the hot item amongst previous eaters. I also got their home made cherry-orange soda but did not take a photo of it (as I downed it a bit too fast).


Wild Boar Sloppy Joe, crispy sage leaves

This was served with a roasted jalapeño which literally broke apart on contact and only added to the flavors of the joe. Be warned it is extremely messy, but it didn't slow us down.

This only led us to ordering more food instead of going for dessert.


Oxtail gnocchi with crispy marrow

I found the oxtail to bit more on the salty side but the gnocci helped disperse some of the saltiness from the marrow and the oxtail. Other than that, it was still nothing compared to the joe.


Wagyu beef cheek Philly, with sweet peppers and manchego

My friend told me the beef cheek was a little on the chewy side, which would make sense considering the texture of a cow's cheek. However, still juicy and tasty otherwise.

Next time I would probably get the Sam Smith's organic apple cider to go with the meal. It was the other drink on the menu that caught my eye, and may have been better suited than the soda, which tasted more like a cross between juice and Italian cream soda.

The service was pretty fast. The air conditioning was actually just a bunch of ceiling fans, but the place was still very ventilated considering the amount of people packed into here. If it's your first time eating here, I would highly recommend going with the joes without hesitation.

Forgive the quality of the pictures degrading as the night went on. Camera phones aren't meant to work well in darker rooms :(

Cactus

Price: $$
Thoughts: ☆☆☆☆
Cactus: Menu

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So I needed to help pass time for a friend, what better way to do it than with food. With the weather as warm as it was, the last thing on my mind was wearing anything that was not shorts, sandals and a t-shirt, so as casual as you can get without dipping into the dangerous realm of fast food. After much thought I settled on a Tex-Mex restaurant called Cactus. And picked the furthest one from us, which was all the way in front of Alki Beach, which is a good drive away.

The place was literally packed from inside out with customers. If there's this much activity, it must be good. When we placed our name for a table the hostess informed us it would be a 45 minute wait, which was fine, killing time was the mission. The buzzer they provided us went off after 15 minutes so we were seated a bit earlier than expected.

As most Mexican restaurants go, we were given complimentary baked tortilla chips with some very delicious fresh salsa. We ordered some drinks, a prickly pear and Mexican lemonade.


Complimentary tortilla chips with fresh salsa

One of the interesting things I found with the Mexican lemonade is the chopped jalapeño pepper inside it. Other than that, the prickly pear lemonade was a nice and fresh feeling.


Prickly Pear Lemonade


Mexican Lemonade

Our server asked us if we had eaten here before. We answered no, and got a quick rundown of what the recommended dishes were. He suggested a few of his favorite antojitos of the menu were. One of them being the spicy Mexican prawns; Camarones D’ El Diablo. We ordered that along with the grilled scallops con tocino; We're very partial to scallops.


Camarones D’ El Diablo- Crispy white Mexican prawns, spicy Diablo sauce, mango–pineapple mojo

These were definitely worth trying. The spicy prawns tasted great as they were without the help of the mojo. Will remember to get this next time as well.


Grilled Scallops con Tocino- Bacon–wrapped natural sea scallops, smoked Fresno aïoli and cilantro oil

Quite juicy and the smoky flavor from the bacon works nicely. Although a bit on the salty side (scallops + bacon can definitely do it), it was still good. But it was no contest against the spicy prawns we just had.

The main entrées were my Cactus fajitas with grilled natural Harris Ranch Angus skirt steak and the grilled skirt steak.




Cactus Fajitas- Served in a sizzling skillet with Spanish rice, cumin black beans and caramelized onions. Guacamole, sour cream, Jack cheese, lettuce, pico de gallo and warm flour tortillas on the side (skirt steak)

This was a lot of food. Despite the warmth from the weather, I had no qualms with eating from a sizzling hot iron skillet. There was a lot of food, and I found myself running out of the tortillas even after heavily stuffing each one with as much meat and beans as I could.


Grilled Skirt Steak- Harris Ranch natural Angus skirt steak, guajillo mole, sautéed hominy with corn and rajas, and crispy fried sweet onions

As a steak should be done; medium-rare. Juicy and looked quite filling. There was nothing left to take home by the time we were ready for the check. I was debating on getting dessert despite feeling a little full, but I saw one of the other customers eating a flan with a birthday candle in it, and that seemed simple enough.

When the waiter came to us, he surprised us with a flan on the house for being first time customers.


Three Milk Cuban Flan (on the house!)

This trumps my previous attempt at making flan. I would definitely suggest coming to the Alki location while the summer weather is still here. All-in-all, good food and passed a good amount of time for the day.

Kingfish Cafe

Price: $$
Thoughts: ☆☆☆☆
Kingfish Cafe: Menu

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Having lived in Georgia for a few years, I do not recall ever having genuine Southern food. My diet then consisted almost entirely of Korean food and McDonalds and/or Carls Jr. With my trip to 5 Spot being the only experience with it.

The Kingfish Cafe was originally a fall-back plan in case our initial restaurant of choice was closed (to which we learned, is always closed on Mondays). Located right across the street from Monsoon, the same people that also run the Baguette Box down in Capitol Hill. The restaurant had a very homely feel to it, from it's well worn wooden furniture to the extremely spacious ceiling. The lighting was kept to a minimum, as the restaurant took advantage of the natural light flooding in from the floor to ceiling windows. I felt like I could waste my day just sitting there, reading a book and munching on something from their menu.

As usual, we consulted their Yelp page for any possible suggestions and decided to start with their Percy’s Plate for Sharin’ – a trio of Wonderful Dips:


A fresh smoked catfish spread with herbs and a touch of mustard a creamy cool artichoke and roasted garlic dip, and our spicy black-eye pea spread served with a jumble of toasted bread and crackers

The catfish spread was the best of the three, and the water crackers were the best of the four dipping choices. The black-eye pea spread was not anywhere near as spicy or flavorful as one would hope, perhaps it was too overshadowed by the artichoke and catfish dips.

For the main plate my friend got the buttermilk fried chicken. I stuck with the simple mac and cheese:


My way or the highway buttermilk fried chicken

A very juicy chicken dipped in a buttermilk batter and fried nicely keeping the skin crispy and the meat tender and juicy. The side of potato salad really helped after burning our mouths on the chicken as well. This is a very heavy meal and was quite filing by itself.


Down home mac and cheese

Baked with three kinds of cheese along with onions and mushrooms, the serving size was daunting. Imagine a cake-sized macaroni and cheese dish and you get this. Very simple and also scalding hot as well. I found myself shoveling in the entire salad before getting through the entire dish.

The macaroni and cheese would be my personal favorite for the night. As simple as it was, it really hit the spot for me. The waitress offered us desserts which we immediately declined. We boxed up the leftovers and left feeling quite full. Better to back out before ordering too much and feeling more pain than a satisfied feeling.

I would say that the appetizer we selected was a bit weak compared to the main course but the portions were very generous. Expect to take home leftovers.

Gorgeous George's

Price: $$
Thoughts: ☆☆☆☆
Gorgeous George's: Menu



Mediterranean food is something I cannot recall ever having, and Gorgeous George's was the only Mediterranean restaurant on my list. Very simple interior, nothing fancy and relatively quiet. At first I thought it was closed due to how dark it appeared from the outside.

I had been craving for some stuffed grape leaves during the weekend so that was a definitely something I was getting. I also got the Grilled Lamb Chops and my friend their special, the Spring Lamb Ribs along with a Greek salad with a side of fresh made feta cheese on the side (my friend does not like feta cheese). Complimentary hummus and bread was served as we waited for our appetizer.


Hummus- Mashed Garbonzo Beans Flavored with Garlic, Tahini, and Lemon

It had been a while since I've had hummus, they were very generous with the portion as well, which meant I did not have to hold back on dipping large amounts of it onto the bread.


Stuffed Grape Leaves- Six Pieces Veggie Grape Leaves Served with a Side of Mint Yogurt Sauce

The grape leaves were brought to us before we had a chance to finish our hummus and bread. Even though the menu stated that it was served with five pieces, the chef was kind enough to add another to make it an even amount between the two of us. It was my friend's first time having grape leaves, which was thoroughly enjoyed by us. I was tempted to order more, but held back on it.


Greek Salad- Field Greens, Feta Cheese, Olives, Tomato, Cucumber, Basil, Green Pepper, Red Onion, Zatar in a House Basil Vinaigrette Dressing

Again this dish was brought as we were just finishing the grape leaves (which disappeared really fast). The salad was loaded with the house vinaigrette which had a lot of zatar in it. This was a very fresh tasting and delicious salad, and would've been fine just eating that as a meal itself. As we were finishing up the salad, our entrées were brought to us. Starting with my Grilled Lamb Chops:


Grilled Lamb Chops- Three Succulent Lamb Chops, Grilled to Perfection. Served with Grilled Tomato Onion and Parsley

This had to be the juiciest lamb I've ever had. Slicing through it littered my plate with juices and the rice was very fluffy and light. I had to slow myself down so I could actually enjoy it and not let my eating habits finish this in a matter of minutes. There were no leftovers.


Spring Lamb Ribs- Succulent, Tender Spring Lamb Ribs Prepared to your Desire using Delicate Herbs and Spices. Served with Garden Vegetables

As my friend cut the ribs, it reminded me of slicing through a grapefruit, very juicy and no resistance while cutting the flesh. It puts the lamb ribs I've had at Ruth Chris' to shame, both in price and in quality (and quantity). Despite being served with ramekins filled with some kind of sauce (most likely variety of yogurt), we did not need it to add more flavors to these dishes.

To finish it off, a house baklava:


Baklava- Layered Filo-dough with a Nutty Filled Center. Chef George's Recipe

This baklava was very fresh and still warm. I think it was a good way to end the meal, as it was nice and small and very light. Unlike most of the baklava variations I have had in the past, it was soft all the way through, which made it easier to eat it with just a fork.

One of the things I really enjoyed about eating here was that there was no waiting between our orders. Everything came in, one after another without any waiting for our next meals which is pretty impressive for what appears to be run by two people. The ratio between quality and price was very well matched, and the atmosphere was suitable for dressing up or just coming dressed casually.

I highly recommend getting their lamb and grape leaves, as I'm already craving for some again.