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.

津津锅 Gourmet Noodle Bowl

Price: $$
Thoughts: ☆☆☆½
津津锅 gourmet noodle bowl

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Of the 11 years I've lived in Seattle, I've only had hot pot twice. One at a friend's place, and one at a restaurant called the Seven Peppers in the International District. Located next to Dearborn Street on the Southeastern side of the International District it is very easy to miss this place save for the small sign displaying 津津锅 Gourmet Noodle Bowl. Upon arriving, we were immediately seated and given plates of veggies, meats, and garnishes:


Chopped garlic, cilantro, and green onion with some kind of nutty sauce


Udon, tofu, enoki mushrooms, endives, and various leafy greens cover a plate of vermicelli.


Left Side: Chicken stock with scallion, fried tofu, and fish balls. Right Side: Spicy chicken stock, cow intestine, scallion.


Sliced beef and chicken

I found that the non-spicy chicken stock to be very plain, in the sense that all it seemed to do was just act no differently than boiling water. The spicy one however, really added flavor to the meats and vegetables. One of the things I really enjoyed about this place was how attentive the waitress was to refilling the plates with more meats. Which leads to one of the things that bummed me out, they only refilled the meats, then again we did not think about asking for more of the vegetables. But for an all you can eat hot pot for $15/person. It's a really good deal.

If you're with some friends and need a cheap fix to fill you up, this will definitely get the job done.

Poppy

Price: $$$
Thoughts: ☆☆☆☆☆
Poppy: Menu

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My friend CJ recommended trying this place out, so I made a note of it in the back of my mind (which is filled with too many other places recommended to eat at) to try this place out. They were also featured on the Food Network, a channel that is a must have to give myself an excuse for calling myself a food enthusiast (or at least an eating enthusiast).

Located at the northern outskirts of Capitol Hill it could be easily passed over for it's very low-key exterior. However, the interior was very well furnished, and very clean with a very tall ceiling that exposed the ceiling beams. It was almost like the owner wanted to create this little dichotomy.

We arrived just around when the happy hour had started and seated ourselves at the bar. Glancing through the menu, we spotted oysters and knew we had to get them. Fresh kumomoto oysters from Willapa Bay and poached oysters served with bacon. The waiter was nice enough to add an extra oyster on both orders as they are normally served in sets of three.


half shell kumomoto oysters with anise hyssop ice

The heat outside may have also added to the appeal of this dish as well. Served over a bed of ice, and fresh cold oysters that went very well with the herbal taste from the side of ice.


poached oysters with sorrel sauce and bacon

I never imagined bacon and oysters, but this was quite a lethal combination. The smoky flavor from the bacon works wonders with the poached oyster. Both of the oyster dishes were flawless, and would be an unfair challenge for me to place one above the other.

We went for a duck salad and spiced pork ribs and debated on desserts.


duck confit, grilled radicchio, hazelnut and juneberry salad

A very light and easy to manage salad. My primary reasoning for choosing this dish was because I do not think I've ever had juneberry before. But it was long forgotten as I ate the duck.

I'll be putting up two pictures of the spiced pork ribs (as it was presented, and how large it was).




spiced berkshire pork ribs

If I could, I would even put a video up showing how tender it was. With the butter knife provided, it sliced through the meat like it literally was softened butter. The expression exchanged between us was a mixture of complete shock and awe. Without hesitation, this would be the first thing I'm ordering upon any and every future visit to Poppy.

Being unsure of whether to get dessert or not, we went with a yelper's suggestion of their eggplant fries:


eggplant fries with sea salt & honey

My friend does not like eggplant. But this was an exception. At a glance the dark skin from the slices of eggplant made it look like fried catfish. The fries were very fresh and fried in honey and sprinkled with coarse sea salt. This and the pork ribs would be the two things I would be getting to start before venturing further down the menu.

Everything was solid all around. The ambiance and the service was excellent. Definitely would like to try their after 9PM selection, like their naan sandwich.

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.

Nishino

Price: $$$
Thoughts: ☆☆☆☆
Nishino: Menu

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Whenever I think of Japanese food, sushi is almost the first and only thing that comes to mind. While skimming menus to see where to eat next, Nishino's menu stood out in the sense that it had a much more diverse variety of dishes that I don't think I've seen at any Japanese restaurant. Here's their specials of the day when we went:



Located on the southern tip of the Arboretum in Madison Park, it was a nice drive through the lesser traveled roads winding around the large garden. The exterior of the building is very nondescript, I almost mistook it for the small fitness club that was in the same plaza had I not seen their shop sign. The inside however, was quite a contrast from what I was expecting.



We started off with two rolls, the Spicy Tuna and Arboretum Roll (yellowtail, jalapeño, and avocado). I ordered the foie gras and seared tuna and my friend, the dynamite.


Spicy Tuna Roll and the Arboretum Roll- yellowtail, jalapeño, and avocado)

It's really hard to go wrong with a spicy tuna roll, so that was a safe choice. The Arboretum roll was nice and sweet which tasted great. The jalapeño was mild like a bell pepper so it didn't provide an unnecessary spiciness for the roll.


foie gras and seared tuna- with shiitake mushroom and red wine soy reduction

This was their first time having foie gras which was the highlight of all the dishes eaten tonight. I was debating on another order of it as it melted in your mouth and just left such a savory taste lingering in your mouth.


dynamite- baked geoduck, scallop and mushrooms with creamy sauce

Both of us have never eaten geoduck so we were not sure what to expect, other than assumptions from what we know from the taste and texture of other mussels. The ratio between the mushrooms and geoduck (which looked almost like the mushrooms too) was pretty good; 60/40. My impression of the geoduck is it feels just like eating a mussel, but not as tough. The scallops hid under the creamy sauce which I could not separate the flavors other than mayonnaise, still very good. The scallops were cooked enough to sustain it's shape but still break apart very easily.


soft shell crab- served with ponzu sauce

Deep fried until crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, tasted exactly as I would have expected. Very simple, but it felt like it was missing something, but still tasted great.


shiso shrimp dumpling with spicy yuzu sauce

The minty kick from the shiso that was wrapped around all of the shrimp was very pleasant. The spicy [and sweet] yuzu sauce made an excellent compliment to the fresh taste. The dumpling skin was so fragile that the skin slid off a few of the shrimp, but it helped soak up a lot of the yuzu sauce.


grilled salmon skin with arugula

Normally when I eat salmon skin, it is deep fried and served in a roll. Having it grilled gave it a nice smoky taste to the salad. At first I was having a difficult time determining whether I was eating daikon or a pear. After a little bit of time, I concluded it was a daikon from the barely noticeable sour aftertaste, it was unusually sweet for a radish.


Green Tea 'Tiramisu'

There was no dessert menu, so I had to use my best guess as to what each of the layers were. The top of the cake was a matcha mousse, the dark layer in between would be a matcha-soaked ladyfinger, followed by more matcha mousse, and then another ladyfinger. It almost reminded me of the matcha cakes I used to eat at the Panama Hotel (before the lady who baked it moved back to Japan, taking the secret recipe with her). This would be the second best dessert (Ristorante Machiavelli holding the top place with their Mousse Tiramisu) I've had so far.

The restaurant is suitable for casual and formal (as the table behind us was filled with people in suits while a few tables across had people in causal wear and kids playing with their training chop sticks.

From what we have sampled, I am curious as to what the Omakase had (as we kind of created our own tasting menu). I'll save that for next time.

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.

Elliott Bay Brewery (second trip)

Price: $$
Thoughts: ☆☆☆☆☆
Elliot Bay Brewery: Menu

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It has been six weeks since my last post. A lot of scheduling conflicts and getting sick has caused many delays for the entire month of May. Once the dust had settled we decided to start off with our top choice (so far) from the places we've eaten; Elliott Bay Brewery. This time around we decided to try some of the happy hour items for starters. We got the Onion Rings and Mussels with Fries. Both were $4.95 each:


Onion Rings

These rings were huge, about the same diameter as an apple. I do not think I have ever seen any this big before. Trying to pace ourselves we left a couple onion rings to box up as leftovers. I discourage doing this, as they do not reheat very well (both microwave or oven still leaves it a little damp). Their "house sauce" (which I am pretty sure is a combination of BBQ sauce and ranch and something else (maybe worchestershire) tastes great. I found that crushing the rings works better for dipping them into the undersized dipping containers.


Mussels with a side of fries


The mussels aren't anything out of the ordinary, as there isn't anything wrong with preparing them with the lemon and garlic.

For the main dishes we ordered the California Avenue and Black Angus Philly Cheese Steak (his turn to try it).


CALIFORNIA AVENUE- Topped with guacamole, Swiss cheese, and bacon with mayo on the side

The burger wasn't too difficult to scarf down (although we were already getting a little full from the two happy hour portions already). The swiss cheese was a little difficult to taste as the guacamole overpowered the flavors from the other ingredients (save for the bacon and patty), which still tasted great. The burger is quite messy regardless of how much caution you put into eating it. I saved a small portion of it to take home for lunch (or breakfast the next day).


BLACK ANGUS PHILLY CHEESE STEAK makes it's return

My friend enjoyed the cheese steak and had to take some of it home as the daunting hoagie along with the fries makes for an already filling meal.

The last time eating here, I was not able to make it through for desserts (too much food kills the cravings). But we gave one of their seasonal desserts a shot, Shortbread Sundae with Hazelnuts.


Shortbread Sundae with Hazelnuts *SEASONAL*

This was too big for one person, at least the waitress gave us a warning and discouraged us from ordering two. Good call on her end, as we didn't even finish the one that we had shared. The shortbread breaks up nicely with a spoon making it easy to get a little bit of the ice cream, chopped hazelnuts and some shortbread all in one scoop. We weren't able to finish this one unfortunately (we scooped out all the ice cream and hazelnuts towards the end).

Once again the Elliott Bay Brewery has done a great job providing a lot of food for the money. Still number one in my book!