I flew home from Austin today, happy and full after eating my way around town for a week. This was my third and final trip out producing a TV show and now I’m having a really hard time dealing with the fact that I won’t be showing up to set every day to a box of delicious kolaches. Sigh.
I discovered these incredible Czech pastries in December and
have devoured countless savory varieties from four different places since, with each bite wishing this
Texas staple would make its way west so I can enjoy them in California. They
truly are little pockets of heaven: sweetened yeast dough filled with ham and
cheese, sausage and cheese (sometimes accompanied by jalapeno), spinach
artichoke dip and my personal favorite – egg, sausage and cheese. Heated up
they’re the perfect breakfast on the go, far superior in my opinion to the
breakfast tacos that seem to get all the buzz.
Since my hometown of Sacramento hasn’t caught on to the
kolache craze I’m contemplating trying to bake my own. If I can nail a recipe
I’ll post it here. If not, I’ll just have to book another flight… I know what
you’re thinking and the answer is yes, I would fly for pastry.
It's a sick day and all I'm eating is soup. I clearly have cheeseburgers on the brain... These two places get a shout out because I believe they're misunderstood. They have amazing cheeseburgers (they meet the criteria in a past blog) that deserve some recognition.
Feedback Lounge
6451 California Ave
West Seattle, WA
http://feedbacklounge.com
MON-THURS 4 PM - 1:30 AM
FRI-SUN 11:30 AM - 2 AM
Feedback Lounge is my neighborhood bar of choice. It has a very 90's rock 'n roll feel to it which seems to alienate some of the West Seattle residents, but I can hang with it. They also have live shows there, if you go to the website, there is a calendar with info. In addition to having every kind of liquor imaginable (as well as housemade syrups) they have a great food menu. My go-to here is the Feedback Burger, which as you can see bleeds like crazy. They get bonus points for using Romaine lettuce and not iceberg. The fries it comes with are amazing, packed with black pepper, but I've been trying to be good and sub the fries with a Caeser salad. The top portion of the bun is a bit thick, but that's okay cause I can soak up the fat and remaining Caeser dressing with it. Other great items are the Bourbon Walnut Chicken, which is the perfect blend of sweet and salty, the 3 Cheese Mac 'n Cheese and, if you're brave enough, the Lights Out Burger.
Yes, Andrew, I jacked this photo from your Facebook page.
The Lights Out Burger is insanity on a plate, the kind of burger Adam Richman would approve of. 1/2 of a beef patty with ham, bacon, American cheese, a Tabasco aioli and to top it off- a fried egg. Oh, if that wasn't enough, it comes with black peppered tater tots. It's a hot mess, literally. Before you go thinking I'm a total badass who ate myself... I'm not. A friend ate about 1/2 of it and I joined in only able to eat 1/4.I've grown a little attached to Feedback Lounge and I will miss it when I'm in sunny California. :(
Esquire Grill - Terminal B at Sacramento International Airport
Sacramento Airport, Terminal B
Sacramento, CA95837
Terminal B at Sacramento International Airport brings a lot of mixed feelings from the locals. Many locals, like myself, like it because it makes out of towners who do not think of Sacramento as a metropolitan city feel like they're at least landing in one. I think it gives off a great impression, especially at a time like this where they lost the Kings and are scrambling for some sort of tourist attraction. Sure, nobody goes to a city for the airport and apparently this new terminal has increased prices. I still love landing in Sac though and it gives off a good impression before I get totally bored there. :) The terminal has a few local spots including Burgers and Brew, Cafeteria 15L and Jack's Urban Eats. I've done quite a bit of traveling in the past year and Esquire is my favorite out of the bunch. The Esquire Grill is famous in Sacramento for their location on K street, it's been around for ages and is run by The Paragary Restaurant Group. Since the Paragary Group has dominated the Sacramento food scene for years, I hear a lot of grumblings about their restaurants. With success comes criticism. Their restaurants also also very "white table cloth" which isn't very mid-town, so people can be quick to judge.
As you can see from the image above, it's a bloody good burger. The tomatoes were plump and juicy and the top bottom bun ratio is just right. What I appreciate about this burger is the portion, it's one of those rare kinds that doesn't make you feel freakishly stuffed afterwards. I haven't tried their fries, because I do believe that's what kills you. I have had their famous Mac and Cheese, which are made of fun, spirally pasta and have the perfect crispy bread crumbs on top.
This is the perfect way to kill time before your flight.
Believe it or not, I don't only eat cheeseburgers and fries. I always try my best to get 5 veggies and/or fruits a day, I watch the carbs and take my vitamins. I can appreciate a good veggie burger. #GOF blogger Tiffany mentioned the In-N-Out Grilled Cheese Animal Style Veggie Burger, which I've had and that's very yummy. It's easy to forget it's vegetarian, which is the number 1 must for a vegetarian burger.
If I get lazy and don't feel like cooking, I always try to eat at Chaco Cayon Organic Cafe in West Seattle. Chaco Canyon is all vegan, so I don't feel guilty afterwards (there are also plenty of gluten-free options). It's on the pricy side, but the sides that come with enormous entrees often leave you with leftovers. 90% of the ingredients are certified organic, with monthly seasonal menu. They also have fresh juices, smoothies and housemade Kombucha.
Chaco Canyon Organic Cafe 3770 SW Alaska St
(between S 37th Ave & S 38th Ave)
Seattle, WA98126 http://www.chacocanyoncafe.com
This is their Lentil Burger, which is often hailed as one of "Seattle's Best". The Thousand Island is made with Veganaise and the burger patty is made primarily lentils. Unlike the store bought veggie pattys, the lentil patty doesn't not attempt to taste like red meat, which I appreciate because that would be a waste of time. It's topped with pickled onions, fresh cucumbers and bean sprouts, the only bummer are the pickles. Instead of dill, they use the sweeter Bread and Butter pickles. Not usually my thing, but I can let it slide. Although it's healthy, it will leave you feeling stuffed.
The entrees can come a la carte for $3 less. However, I always want a side dish, so I chose the Braising Greens Salad. It's packed with carrots, kale, gold beets and cashews in a tart dressing. I couldn't even eat half of it, since it's such a large portion. There were plenty of leftovers for the next day, so it's worth the price.
The items I talk about below are from their January 2013 menu, so if you're reading this late, it may not be there. Sorry!
This is their Breakfast Burrito. The house-made, gluten-free buckwheat tortilla is stuffed with a curry tofu scramble with black and rice, cashew cheese. The burrito is also covered in a spicy tomato sauce. I've had a terrible sinus infection the past week and this cleared me up quick. I'm very surprised by the cashew cheese, I wouldn't have realized it was non-dairy if you hadn't told me. It also comes with an option of sides so I chose to brave the chia seed pudding (never had chia seeds before).
Chia seeds are high in fiber and omega-3's, they're becoming the new "It" health food item. The pudding combined with the bananas, shaved coconut and coconut milk was... interesting They remind me of a mucus covered flax seed. It's a strange texture, I'm not going to lie. After consuming the banana and coconut bit you're kind of just left with a bowl of slimy seeds.
Okay. So I should've stuck with fresh fruit as my side dish. I still love this place and will miss it dearly when I'm in SoCal.
I am often asked "What's the best cheeseburger you've eaten?" and I get stumped every time it happens. Truthfully, the best cheeseburgers are the ones my Dad and I used to grill in our backyard during the scorching hot Roseville Summer breaks. You can't recreate those.
Often the In-N-Out Cheeseburger chain comes to mind as a close second. Gatsby's Diner and Nationwide Freezer Meats in Sacramento, Zippy's in West Seattle and I enjoyed Seattle's Katsu Burger for their creative Asian fusion.
What do I look for in a good burger?
1.) SOGGY BOTTOM GIRL - The bun should be grilled, top and bottom. I prefer the bottom of the bun to be soaked in the fat/blood from the meat. I flip the burger upside down, with the traditional bottom at the top. The top, which is now the bottom should stay dry so food isn't leaking onto my chin. The image below demonstrates how it's done.
The bottom bun should not be the same size as the top bun, I would say it should be 1/2 the size. The top I could care less about, it's almost useless other than keeping food off your chin. I also really appreciate a house baked bun, I can tell when a place orders the too soft Rainbow brand kind.
2.) HOT BLOODED - As you can see, a burger's gotta feel some pain and bleed for me. I always try to order rare, but some places have these lame regulations against serving me that. There have been times when I have to settle for medium-rare.
3.) TOMMY PICKLES (Yup, a Nickelodeon reference...) - There has to be dill pickles included somewhere. Yes, it has to be dill pickles. Bread and butter pickles are way gross. I prefer pickle chips in the burger, but I will settle for a spear on the side. The exception to this rule is In-N-Out, they're the only place who can get away with it.
4.) EAT YOUR VEGGIES - Most places serve their burgers with iceberg lettuce and it's the only time I approve of eating this member of the family. I get pumped when a place that gets creative and serves romaine or butter lettuce (Katsu does shredded cabbage) but that's rare. Tomatoes should be soft and flavorful, not hard. It's tough for restaurants to offer ripe tomatoes since it's finicky vegetable that is in season June - September, so often times I give a place a pass if the tomato is a little tough. I can live without onions, especially raw ones. If the onions are carmelized or pickled, I can go for that.
5.) YOU SAUCY MINX - I hate ketchup and mustard. Keep it away from me, I'll freak out. I have mixed feelings on Mayonaise. I don't run away from it like Mama June on "Here Comes Honey Boo Boo Child", but I'm not in love with it either. If the Mayonaise is lightly spread on the top bun and ignored on the bottom (that bottom's for blood!) I can deal with that. As far as special sauces, I am a huge fan of the In-N-Out Thousand Island-esque spread, in light doses. Special sauces should be very light and never distract from the meat.
So as you can see, there's a lot that goes into what I determine makes a good cheeseburger. Now if only I put the effort of writing this blog into my homework, I would've been an A student...
Now that I have done most of Seattle's "best of" spots, I have been trying to get into some of the lesser known, but also fantastic places. I had to run an errand outside of Seattle and discovered this charming Italian place called Saltoro in Shoreline. Although they have a Yelp listing, I can't seem to find any info online about this spot's origins, I think the pics will keep you happy though.I'm suprised I haven't seen any Seattle publications drooling over the Sea Salted Chicken, because it's rare to find a chicken dish that pleasing. I'm glad I'm the first to discover it. If I lived closer to Shoreline I would live here.
Saltoro 14053 Greenwood Ave N Seattle, WA98133 Open Mon - Sun 5 PM - 10 PM
I had read rave reviews about the Truffled Fries and they live up to the hype. They are the crispy shoe string style and the truffle flavor doesn't overwhelm.
By the way, this is a half portion. This almost destroyed 2 people alone, I can't imagine trying to order a full size.
This is their Spinach salad. The two crusted squares you see are "Brie pillows", which is just fun to say out loud. It was also topped with pickled onions, roasted grapes and pancetta and tossed in an anise dressing. The dressing made the salad for me, it was the right amount of anise and balsamic vinegar.
The brie pillow oozes out when you cut it. The only downside to this salad is that there are only 2 brie pillows. I wish there was more of it, especially if 3 people were sharing the salad.
This is the Sea Salt Roasted Chicken with broccolini and mashed potatoes. I drenched it in extra chicken jus. I never thought I could love a chicken dish so much. This chicken was perfectly seasoned and even after I doused it in jus, it kept a crispy consistency. The breast it self was moist and covered in herbs. This also one of those rare dishes I didn't have to add salt to. This is their "winner" item... especially since I went back the next night to order it again....
This is a special dessert, so it may not be an option for readers, Saltoro's Wine Poached Pear. It's so fragrant, it's like eating Grandma's potpourri (sound insulting, but I mean it as a compliment). The vanilla gelato and minced pistachio also added a Christmas like flavor to it. The other favorites here are the Chocolate Pot du Creme and the Berry Crumle. There is also a large selection of dessert wines and fruity cocktails.
My year long stay in Seattle is coming to end. I will be moving to Venice, CA in February to jump start the acting career at a full time basis (fingers crossed!). I've eaten at a lot of the Seattle "must try" spots and Salumi rounds out as my last one. I am kicking myself for having not tried it sooner.
Salumi 309 3rd Ave S
(between S 2nd Avenue Extended & Main St)
Seattle, WA98104 http://salumicuredmeats.com
Salumi is located in Pioneer Square which has a bunch of Seattle history. Of course the only real history I know it for is the "Singles" movie poster, but that's just me...
Salumi is only open Tuesday - Friday for lunch hours. I never seem to
be out at lunch so that's a little disappointing which is why it took
me so long to finally get in. Salumi is know for their cured meats, but
you have the option of dining in for a hot meal instead of just ordering
a bulk amount to go. The space itself is pretty cramped, I don't think it's the best place for a large party, but great for 2 people or ordering food to go. The sandwiches are made in front of you so you can basque in it's fatty glory.
I ordered the hot porchetta sandwich on a ciabatta roll. I've always had
a rough relationship with porchetta, sometimes it's too fatty. I'm
happy to report that Salumi's porchetta is flavorful and succulent. There is fat but it's the perfect amount, no gag reflex
happened here. They also added this amazing garlicy butter sauce which
oozes out with the flavor of the pork and roasted green pepper. It also
drips and the bread becomes the right amount moist but not soggy. It's
heaven and earns a "best of" for GOF. The best part? I have leftovers
from it!
An incredible breakfast kicked off the day's events...
johnnycake - savory green chile & cheddar cheese corn cake
avocado omelet w/goat cheese, tomato & basil
roasted potatoes, toast w/homemade apricot jam
Their johnnycake is basically my dream version of corn bread - thin and crispy, full of flavor with the chiles. This should be on every breakfast menu, a perfect shared starter before your main course...
A perfect omelet. I've been here twice and ordered this both times. The goat cheese is fantastic. In fact, a helpful tip - if you're in Petaluma, order anything with goat cheese. If there's more than one item featuring this local delight, order them all!
Fast forward eight hours - laughs, toasts, makeup, dress up, photos, vows, rings, the kiss!, tears, smiles, more toasts - to dinner...
Sol Food - Puerto Rican Cuisine
901 Lincoln Ave
San Rafael, CA
solfoodrestaurant.com
baked chicken thighs marinated in oregano & garlic
vegetable casserole
frijoles negros - black beans simmered with peppers, onions and cilantro
habichuelas rosadas - pink beans stewed with herbs and Spanish olives
mixed greens with lemon-garlic dressing
steamed rice with Pique - homemade hot sauce
maduros - the world's most delicious sweet fried yellow plantains!
This is hands down the best wedding food I've ever tasted. Everyone was blown away, I can't wait to visit their restaurant!
And, like every perfect day, it ended with something sweet. I've raved about Sift cupcakes here before but they deserve another mention for this adorable display.
The cake was their "Battle Royale" and the cupcakes are all on my favorites list from the previous post, including the "Stud Muffin." Yes, my sister ordered the beer cake topped with bacon for her special day. That's my girl!
