Grant Grill

Article first published as Restaurant Review (San Diego): The Grant Grill on Blogcritics.

After our first day at a conference in San Diego we decided to go out for a special dinner at the Grant Grill at the US Grant Hotel. First off the hotel, which has been around since 1910, is beautiful. We could have spent a lot of time just taking in the history of the hotel but this isn't hotelventures so let's get right to the Grant Grill. This restaurant was on the Best Thing I Ever Drank so the reason why we were there was the Smashing Pumpkin martini but as you will soon see, the meal itself great.

The Grant Grill had the feel of a fancy club where CEOs meet to make serious decisions and actually for a long time it was a men's club during certain times of the week. Lots of expensive wood and art and fancy plates on which they serve single palette cleansers so you are prepared for your meal. The great thing is that this all worked really well with the ambiance and feel and definitely the food served. One thing that I struggled with were the seats. For some reason at our table the bench seats were extremely close to the table itself and since they were leather and cushy I felt like I was being pushed into the table. An odd feeling especially when you are settling in for a extended meal.

So what did I order? I obviously ordered the Smashing Pumpkin martini, which is seasonally available in the fall. Next, after perusing the menu I ordered the Dungeness crab risotto for an appetizer and the Niman ranch pork cheeks for my entree. For those of you who do not know, Niman ranch is an awesome high end ranch where you can get great meats and yes pork cheeks are the cheeks of a pig. After ordering our waiter informed us that the fresh baked focaccia bread would be out of the oven in a few minutes. That got me really excited but I was still blown away by the bread we received.

A few minutes later my martini came out. The Smashing Pumpkin martini is made up of pumpkin and star anise infused 10 cane run, Grand Marnier, allspice, saffron syrup, cardamom bitters, and some frech meyer lemon. Yes, that is a lot of ingredients and I generally struggle with sweet martinis but this one was surpisingly tasty. The rim was lined with cinnamon and sugar which blended very well with the pumpkin rum. The Grand Marnier and saffron added some boldness to the drink while the allspice and cardamom added some punch. The Meyer lemon, being a little sweet also melded well into the drink. One thing that stood out was this was definitely not meant to be a smooth drink, with all the ingredients the liquid became very cloudy and at times I felt like I needed to chew. This made the drink a little much and not one that I could drink repeatedly in one night. I think that if they strained it, the drink would be smoother and a little less intense. I liked it but definitely ordered a glass of wine for my entree.

Just look at how crispy the top is!

Next, to our delight, the fresh focaccia bread arrived. Now this wasn't just a big loaf cut up and served, not at the Grant Grill. Each table gets its own mini loaf baked just for the privileged few who sit there. The bread came out piping hot, and ready to be cut and served like a pizza. It also came with special sea salt, cracked pepper, and butter on the side ready to be mixed and used to enhance the flavor (Not that it was needed). Honestly they could have just given me some marinara sauce, my own platter and I would not have needed anything else that night, the bread was just that good. But, alas I had to suffer through two more courses and dessert.

 After eating two pieces of this bread, the appetizers arrived. My Dungeness crab risotto was delicious. One thing I want to point out again is that the plates were all very unique and worked perfectly with the presentation of each and every dish. This was a risotto like no other I have ever had before. The rice was cooked perfectly and mixed beautifully with the capers and crab. Each bite was smooth and only the tiniest bit chewy. The crab added a level of decadence that allowed you to close your eyes and enjoy each bite, while the snap peas added a bit of green that helped you feel like this was at all healthy. The addition of toasted pine nuts was brilliant. Pine nuts just add something intangible to certain dishes; I think it's the woodsy taste and smell that comes along with the toasting. And just when you think that this was enough, they went ahead and shaved fresh Parmesan over the top and proved you wrong. Without the salty flavor the cheese brought to the dish, something would have indeed been missing. That little bit pulled the whole dish together and turned it into one of the best risottos I have ever tasted.

So far the Grant Grill had gone three for three without many critiques, and the next dish was no slouch either. My pork cheeks arrived on top of Swiss chard, accompanied by what they call rooftop tomato jam, cipollini onions and Asian pears (Which I actually thought were potatoes which would have made no sense in this dish). Ok so I have to be honest, I really have nothing bad to say about this dish aside from the fact that I would not have complained if I got received more cheeks on the plate but when do you not want more cheeks?

This dish just worked, plain and simple, everything that was on the plate needed to be there and I would not have added anything else. I didn't even think to add pepper which I usually add to everything (I added it to the risotto). Each bite was savored and then missed when it was gone. Some times I would try the pork cheek alone and other times I would mix it with one, two, or all of the other ingredients. Each forkful was different and caused a unique flavor profile which is always fun for me. It's like I have many different entrees all in one dish. Easy to try, but really hard to pull off. This was the first time I had ever eaten pork cheeks and now I am sad that I hadn't been eating them all my life. They were cooked down to the point where the meat melted in your mouth and just truly embodied the flavor of pork. This cut now ranks right under bacon for me, and actually not that expensive to purchase at the butcher. If you eat pork and go to this restaurant you would be remiss if you did not order this dish.

It would not be a complete meal without a little dessert (Though I could have ordered another entree if it would have been an approved move). I ordered the semolina cake with a raspberry and blueberry compote and vanilla ice cream. I really do not remember much about this desert, I think my reaction was that it was fine but not as significant as the rest of the meal. This may be my bias against cakes but I don't think it was bad, just not amazing. Of the whole dessert, I think the compote was the best. Mixing the fruit into the ice cream and cake was the way to go and they elevated the dish to something better than I would have expected. If I eat here again I would probably try something else but I don't think you would be disappointed if you decided to try the semolina cake

The Grant Grill at the US Grant Hotel was a wonderful experience and is run by people who obviously know what they are doing. A few critiques but all in all a delectable dinner and well worth the cost. Just as a heads up, this place is not cheap but you can get coupons from restaurant.com to help lower the bill a bit. Also, if you really want to get crazy, you can order their ever changing seasonal tasting menu and perhaps do a wine pairing to go along with it. Next time you are in San Diego and looking for a fancy dinner check out the Grant Grill or just stop in at their lounge for some inventive and tasty cocktails.

Overall Review: 9/10

Take a look at what the Grant Grill is serving today by clicking here

Smokin Betty's

Article first published as Restaurant Review (Philadelphia): Smokin Betty's on Blogcritics.

I took a trip to Philadelphia for a wedding and was extremely excited to stop by Smokin Betty's for their famous Turduken Burger. I took the train into center city and walked the few blocks from the market to the restaurant. Upon my arrival I noticed how nice the interior of the restaurant looked. For a comfort food place it looked rustic but upscale. The wait staff was very polite though my waiter did take a while to come talk to me for the first time. I was also excited by the large craft beer selection and quickly ordered a nice Blonde Ale. A few minutes later I ordered my turduken burger with a side of sweet potato fries.

After about ten minutes my glorious burger arrived and I just took a few seconds to look at it lovingly. Maybe you should do the same:

Who needs a pickle, really?

After staring at the burger for a bit I cut it in half and dug right in. So for those who do not know, a turduken is a turkey stuffed with a duck stuffed with a chicken filled with stuffing, so a turduken burger has all the meats cooked together and the rest of Thanksgiving as toppings. I will say that I have not eaten many turkey burgers in my day, usually I am beef all the way, but I would imagine that this patty tasted very similar to a normal turkey burger. I would say that the difference would be a richer flavor because of the duck fat but if I hadn't known I would have just thought it was a traditional turkey burger. Did this make a difference? Absolutely not! The burger patty was full of flavor and dripped juices right down my arm.

Now, as you can see by the picture there is much more to this burger than a patty. This burger was a Thanksgiving meal on a bun. A fluffy and flavorful bun, just like the rolls you normally get on the big day. Beneath the patty was a layer of stuffing and gravy topped with melted cheese. Generally I find stuffing pretty dry and boring but add gravy and cheese to it and you've got a party! Now I know a new stuffing recipe to try out. On top of the patty was a wonderful cranberry chutney. Adding the tang and sweetness to cut through all the rich flavorings of the dish. Truly a perfect addition to the burger and definitely not what you get from the can. Last but certainly not least, fried sweet potato chips, adding the final delicious crunch to the meal. Take a look at the burger from the inside, but first you might want to grab a bib to catch the drool.

AJ Bombers can take some advice about buns from this place

There is only one word to describe this burger...epic. I kept cutting it down to make it last longer because I didn't want it to end. So many flavors dancing around on my palette and all in harmony. It really was Thanksgiving in each and every bite! The most prominent flavor was the cranberry chutney so if you don't like cranberries you may not like this dish but then again you may love it. All in all a really well designed entree and one that I would go back to again and again over some of my favorite beef burgers.

You probably are thinking, what about the fries. Well no need to worry, they were also pretty great. I have never eaten thick cut sweet potato fries but I was not disappointed. These fries were crunchy on the outside but soft on the inside like potato wedges. Not too greasy but with just enough to add the needed flavor. A really great side dish to a Thanksgiving burger. I will say though that every time I get sweet potato fries I am hoping for a dipping sauce. A brown sugar and cinnamon aioli to be specific, but I never seem to get it. I just can't get behind dipping them in ketchup.

Next time you are in Philly, check out Smokin Betty's, get the Turduken burger, and plan to be full for a long time. Probably not the best idea right before a wedding but I toughed it out.

Overall Review: 8/10

Check out Smokin Betty's here

Stack'D Burger Bar

Article first published as Restaurant Review (Milwaukee, WI): Stack'd Burger Bar on Blogcritics.

Just take a first look at this!

Last week I talked about the first burger I ate in Milwaukee, the "Food War" champ. Well later that night I ate my second burger in Milwaukee and one of the best burgers I've eaten in a long long time. Take a quick look to the left and you will see the ridiculous and amazing Hangover Stack.

We came here for a rehearsal dinner prior to my friend's wedding so I cannot talk much about service and ambiance as we were in a back room and somewhat distracted. I also arrived after the appetizers were mostly consumed so you will get my unadulterated discussion about this one dish.

As you can see by the picture this is one tall burger. It starts with a 1/2 pound burger made up of Tallgrass beef cooked to order which is my first area of discussion. Remember last time when I went off  on AJ Bombers about the up charge for good meat and the lack of temperature discussions? Also, when I reamed Slaw Dogs for their crappy hot dogs? Well, Stack'd was the exact opposite of both places and it was glorious! Start with a great foundation cooked well and the topping are just that, toppings. No matter how great the bacon, you can never hide crappy beef and Stack'd appears to understand.

Top it with some aged Wisconsin cheddar and thick cut bacon and you've got yourself a burger! But wait that is just the beginning. Next they add fried onions, lettuce, and tomato and an egg supposedly fried to your liking. Lastly they let you pick from your choice of bun and with server consultation I settled on the pretzel bun. She really twisted my arm. They top it all off with two fried pickles and then I took Virginia's and added them to the middle of my burger, why not! Inconspicuously laid next to the burger were some of the most wonderfully fried onion rings. Hot and crispy and not greasy in the least.

Juicy and delicious!

 I excitedly cut my burger in half so I could 1. get a picture and 2. figure out how to eat it and was both pleased and disappointed at the same time. The burger looked gorgeous, perfectly cooked to my mid-rare expectations, juicy and inviting. The toppings were well done, the lettuce crisp, and the tomatoes fresh. The one issue was the egg. This was the first time I ever ordered and egg on a burger and asked for it over medium. Over medium means creamy, not runny and not solid. Creamy, so it gets all over the rest of the burger but not the plate. Sadly my egg was overcooked and you can see it plainly in the picture where it is solidly stuck right in the middle of the burger. Sad times, maybe next time I will ask for over easy to make sure I get some savory egg flavor soaked into the meat and the bun.

On first bite you could tell that this was a serious burger at a serious burger restaurant. The meat was so juicy and perfectly cooked. It was without a doubt top shelf meat because regardless of the six different toppings the beef sang through. On the other hand, the toppings were awesome. The cheese was gooey and had a bite to it; the bacon was crispy and full of flavor. The fried onions strings and added fried pickles brought that greasy note to the party and the fresh vegetables cut through all the savory notes to make it all manageable. Without the lettuce and tomato there would be no way I could have finished the burger but I did! The egg was good and added some of the creamy element to the burger but I really wished it was cooked less. It just did not make the impact I thought it would. Now the pretzel bun...awesome! Nice and chewy and a little sweet it pulled the whole burger together.

All in all this was a great burger, one of the best I've had. I would have given it a solid 10 if not for the egg issue. I also could complain about the fact that I didn't get my mini Tabasco bottle but I could have just asked if I really wanted it so I will take the blame for that one. This is a great place and next time I am in Milwaukee I will come back to see the main part of the restaurant. I will add also that they have over 100 varieties of local beers and both a gluten free and vegan menu. No wonder Renee and Gavin love it so much!

Overall Review: 8/10

Check out Stack'd online

AJ Bombers

When Virginia and I went to Milwaukee a few weeks ago to celebrate the marriage of our friends Renee and Gavin, I decided to check out this Food Wars champion. We flew overnight and arrived at out hotel at around 10:30 and instead of nap or do my Insanity workout I decided to stroll the two blocks over to AJ Bombers to try their famous cheeseburger. I got there at 11am when they opened and was the first patron in the place. I sat at the bar to have a chat with the bartender and took a look around. This was a pretty interesting place with some fun features that I will go into in a bit. The bartender suggested the peanut butter burger and the fried cheese curds (which I should have ordered, they are like mozzarella sticks on overdrive), but I chose to be traditional and order the Milwaukee burger and the Poutine.


So AJ Bombers is not only known for their cheeseburgers, they are also known for their peanuts. You can come into this place, get a bowl of peanuts, and toss all the used shells on the floor. My problem was that I did not know about the shell disposal program and since I was the first person there the floors were still clean. I was so confused that I ended up putting the peanuts shells in my pocket. I know, you're laughing at me but I didn't know any better. Once I saw the servers tossing shells on the floor I realized my foolishness and tossed away. The fun thing about these peanuts is the way they serve them. If you don't sit at the bar you literally get bombed. They have these tracks installed on the ceiling with mini bombs attached. The bartender fills up the bomb with peanuts and wings it down the track at your table. The bomb slams into a bullseye above your table and the peanuts fall down a shoot into a metal container on your table. What an inventive and fun way to be served your bar nuts! I really wish I had thought to take a picture because this was really cool and added something different.

My food came out and it definitely looked like bar food, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. The Milwaukee Burger is their famous cheeseburger with Wisconsin Colby, bacon, and a pile of raw white onions.

I'm gonna need a breath mint after this!

This was a flat burger, yes a little in taste, but actually flat like the Earth pre-Galileo. This made me nervous because flat burgers often equal dry and overcooked burgers and now that I think about it, the bartender definitely did not ask me how I wanted the burger cooked. I said to myself "This burger won the food war, let's give it a chance". I picked it up and dug in. Not bad, it had some flavor and the cheese was delicious but it was definitely too cooked for my liking. I'm a mid rare kind of guy so mid to well is not my cup of tea. It tastes too much like shoe leather to me and I usually save that for Bella. Yes, Bella is my dog. The onions were good and added a freshness to the heavy cheese and bacon. The one thing I really did not like was the bun. I'm not sure what it was or if it was intentional but the bun was chewy. By chewy I really mean stale but maybe that is just the type of bun they work with. I'm not sure but it was just odd and not my favorite thing in this meal. All in all the burger was OK but if it was the best burger in Milwaukee I was in for a rough ride (Spoiler alert: It wasn't even the best burger of the day, tune in next week for that review)

My side order of fries was the Wisconsin specialty called poutine. Sounds delicious doesn't it? Well just like the idea of eating cheese curds makes Virginia queasy, I think the poutine would bring the same reaction. This dish is fries topped with some melted cheese curds and gravy. Super healthy and light on the calories count I'm sure.

Mmmm cheese curds

I admit, this was pretty good and fun to eat. I nice take on cheese fries and gravy though poutine rolls off the tongue much easier. The fries were crispy and had some good seasoning to them that held up to the toppings. The cheese was creamy and delicious, making me sad that I did not just get the fried curds as the bartender suggested. That'll teach me to ignore the restaurant employees! The only issue I had here was the gravy. It was passable but I couldn't get past the feeling that it was not homemade. Sometimes you just taste something and swear you've had it before in the dining hall and if you feel that way it's got to be from a box because you know they don't make fresh gravy in the dining hall. Ever.

All in all this was a fun place but not really a place I would come to if I didn't plan on getting hammered and full of peanuts. I think that I could spend some time there on a Saturday watching college football because, when you're drunk, everything greasy and cheesy tastes wonderful and throwing peanut shells on the floor is tons of fun but if I got a call to go somewhere else I'd be gone. Check it out and see if the peanut butter burger is a good as they claim.

Note: One thing I noticed is that you can pay $3.50 to upgrade your beef to %100 grass fed organic. That annoys me, you as basically telling me that your basic meat is crap so I should give you more money to get good food. Just serve the good meat all the time and factor it into the price. This was I don't have to upgrade to good food, I just get it all the time.

Overall Review: 5/10

Check out AJ Bombers Online

The Slaw Dogs

Took a trip up to Pasadena for a meeting and realized that we were only one mile from The Slaw Dogs. This place was on Outrageous Food on the food network and will be the first place I try from this show. I noticed upon our arrival that this place had only been open for a short time but the buzz around it seemed promising. The decor left much to be desired but how much can you really expect from a hot dog place in the area of ambiance. We ordered at the register and then sat and waited for our food. I ordered the Thai Slaw dog which was chicken sausage topped with spicy peanut-coconut satay dressing, cilantro-carrot slaw, crushed peanuts, and siracha aioli. This was the dog featured on the food network. My friend ordered the Green Monster which was a beef hot dog topped with roasted green chili, chipotle mayo, grilled onion, pepperjack, and spicy garlic salsa. We decided to cut them in half and split the spoils. On the side I ordered Parmesan Garlic Truffle French Fries. Yes, you heard right parmesan, garlic, and truffles on French fries. Can you feel your mouth watering just by saying that out loud? I can.

The food came pretty quickly and I was very excited. The first thing I tasted were the French fries and my god they were amazing. I mean really amazing. Possibly some of the best fries I have ever tasted. So much garlic and parmesan with an underlying flavor of truffle. Add to that wonderfully fried potato and you really have something special. I really did not want to stop eating them and the serving size made sure I would not have to for a while. The only issue with the fries was that they are not a permanent menu item, just a special. I would urge them to add them to the menu because they were by far the best thing I ate.

Ok let’s talk hot dogs. The slaw on top of the of the Thai Slaw was pretty good and the peanuts added a fun crunch but with two things on the dog that should have been spicy the lack of heat was jarring. I am really unsure how you can pull that off with siracha but somehow there was no spice in my dog. That was disappointing but still I enjoyed the dog. The Green Monster was by far a better mix of toppings. The green chili and onions were cooked well with a little crunch. A little heat and a good amount of sweet, I would go back to that hot dog if  came here again. The one place where the Green Monster fell down was in the beef hot dog itself. It just didn’t add that much to the dish and since it was the protein I felt that it should have spoken up more. I feel like if you put a dozen toppings on a hot dog or a hamburger you need to use top shelf meats or else they get overwhelmed. This definitely happened here so I would try the same toppings with a sausage with a deeper flavor.

Overall this place was a lot of fun and affordable. I would definitely return to try some of their other specialties but only if those fries were on the menu. Like I said those were some of the best fries I ever ate. Next time you are in Pasadena, check out The Slaw Dogs, you will be pleasantly surprised, but only if the fries are available.

Overall Rating: 6/10

The Salted Pig

Finally went to check out The Salted Pig on Friday for lunch. I was hearing great things about this place and was very excited to check it out. The restaurant is set up with two distinct seating areas; one by the bar and one by the kitchen. We sat in the seats at the kitchen counter and were rewarded with some free samples of their deviled eggs. I only ate one and it was good just not something I focused on throughout the meal. I wish the seats at the bar were a little higher up so I could actually see what was going on. It was strange to sit there trying to see what was going on but being unable to do so. Another annoyance was that my server had not tasted many of the items on the menu. It is always alarming to hear a server say "People have told me that this is good" or "I've never tried that". If you really care about your restaurant you will taste and be able to talk about all of the regular menu items.

I ordered the pork belly sandwich with light mayo (As recommended), the brussel sprouts as a side, and the bacon sammy for dessert. I also upgraded to filthy fries which has cheese and roasted garlic on top. When the meal came out I was confused by the brussel sprouts. They were shredded like coleslaw with bacon pieces mixed in. This was a very unique way to eat brussel sprouts but surprisingly it was really good. Since they were shredded it was easy to get bacon in every forkful. Usually it is difficult to get the bacon on your fork with a large brussel sprout but when all items in the dish are similar in size it makes it much easier. My one issue was that it was very liquidy in the dish and became sort of a soup when you got towards the end. I am unsure as to why they did not remove some of the liquid but that was not pleasant.

The pork belly sandwich was good though it was lacking the savory taste that you normally get from bacon. I am not sure what was missing but I was expecting a richer taste that would fill me up since the sandwich was a little small. It was definitely a good idea to ask for light mayo because there was still a decent amount on the sandwich. If I had not asked for light mayo the whole sandwich would have been drowned in it and probably tasted terrible. Thanks yelp reviews! The sandwich also claimed to have mandarin pickles but they merely tasted like mandarin orange slices. I did not taste anything near to a brine that would allow you to call them pickled. Regardless, the sweetness of the orange was as great addition to the sandwich and broke up the monotony that was under flavored pork belly on bread. Overall, a decent sandwich but not one that I would order a second time. Next time I will get the really good or the pig burger.

My Pig Sammy came out last and was, by far, the best thing I ate at this restaurant. Who could argue with candied bacon inside ice cream between to maple cookies? I mean honestly I do not think that it would be possible at any restaurant to mess up that combination and The Salted Pig did not disappoint. Not only did the ice cream taste like bacon but there were pieces of candied bacon inside the ice cream. Almost every creamy bite of the ice cream came with the delicious somehow chewy and crunchy texture of the candied bacon. All of this was balanced by the maple cookies. What a great way to end the meal!

Overall, I enjoyed my meal at the Salted Pig. Some issues with the dishes and the set up of the kitchen counter but it was a fun meal with obvious thought behind the dishes. I would order the brussel sprouts again but I would ask them to drain out some of the liquid. I am not sure if I would order the pork belly again there are other options that I would rather try. I would recommend this place as a nice lunch hangout and hear that their happy hour deals are great. Next time I will go after work to try some of their many beers on tap. I mean this place calls itself a Gastropub so I need to test out its beer selection. By the way, the filthy fries were awesome. I mean roasted garlic and beer cheese on fries? How could that not be awesome!

Rating: 6/10

Etta's Seafood

List Items: Mussels, Tuna Sashimi, Crab Cakes

The one and only sit down list restaurant we ate at on this trip was Etta's Seafood. Esthetically, the restaurant was nothing special just a well put together and nice place with a sizable bar area. We sat down and I ordered a bloody mary which had a pickle in it instead of celery. A little different but a good addition. I tried to order everything off the list but they did not have the mussels which was a little disappointing.

Food wise, I ordered the tuna sashimi and a shrimp roll. My mom ordered the crab cakes and Virginia ordered the burger. The burger apparently took 15 minutes to make so I expected it to be wonderful but in reality it tasted like an ordinary burger. It was actually overcooked so maybe 15 minutes was a bit overzealous. The crab cakes which were on my list were a little odd. The best word I could think of was stringy. Instead of lumps of crab it seemed like they shredded the crab over a cheese grater. The texture of the cake was jarring and outweighed the wonderful fact that the cake had almost no filler. I really don't think that I would order the crab cakes a second time.

So now to my meal. The tuna sashimi, a list item, was really great. The crispy pita type bread was a great holder for the tuna and the wasabi. The soy marinade for the tuna made it a little salty and which was balanced out by the spiciness of the wasabi and the sweetness of the butter on the bread. A truly great appetizer which I was thankful for after the disappointing crab cakes. By far the best part of the meal was the shrimp roll. It appears that it is only on the brunch menu but this was a dish I would eat again. Just like the crab cakes, the shrimp roll was filled almost entirely with sweet shrimp. I truly appreciate a restaurant that knows not to add filler (Breadcrumbs) to its seafood dishes. The bread was toasted and crispy which always goes well with a savory and creamy shrimp filling. A great shrimp roll at a somewhat unremarkable restaurant.

Overall Etta's is not my favorite seafood restaurant in Seattle. In reality, it tries to hard to be upscale without the food chops to back it up. The biggest problem I had with the meal was the burger. How pretentious is it to say that you burger takes 15 minutes to make and then bring out an overcooked and mediocre dish. One that Virginia did not finish and I did not have them wrap up (A rare sight indeed). They didn't even give you ketchup to use on the waffle french fries. At its price point ~$35 per person, I would not go back. In a city with fantastic seafood, you can get it better for much much cheaper.

Rating: 5/10

Portage Bay

After a 10 mile run we felt that a great brunch place was necessary so we headed to Portage Bay. First of all they had the coolest food shirt ever. Quote on the back "Eat like you give a damn". To bad they are not selling them anymore. At noon on a Saturday it was a 45 minute wait for 7 people but we only waited about 25. The restaurant was very open, basically one big room. The bathrooms were funny with pictures of toilets from history but I digress. As you will see from the first picture, they had a huge toppings bar that came with any pancake or french toast order.

Now for the food. The menu looked exciting with fun items like cheesecake french toast and the rancher's breakfast. In addition they had items for gluten free and vegan diets. I ordered the rancher's breakfast which was 3 eggs, bacon, hashbrowns, and two pieces of challah french toast (and the toppings bar). I also ordered some fresh squeezed grapefruit juice which was refreshing. The rancher's breakfast was really good. The eggs were cooked well and the bacon was crispy but I could have gotten those items anywhere. The real star of the show was the french toast and the toppings bar. I covered my sweet and fluffy french toast with strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and a few pears. The also had what looked to be homemade whipped cream which melted slowly on the toast and added a richness to the whole ensemble.

I admit that I was hungry but it was quite easy to finish that whole meal in less than 10 minutes. I was also introduced to organic ketchup and now ask the question, why does anyone eat the bright red and pathetic non-organic version? All in all Portage Bay was a fun, family friendly restaurant with some delicious and hearty food. I would go back again and try one of their hash options or a benedict. If you are looking for a brunch place in Seattle go to Portage Bay.

Rating: 8/10

Reading Terminal Market Part 1

During my one hour break for lunch I walked around the Reading Terminal Market and checked out a few places that were on my list:

1. Miller's Twists: I purchased a soft pretzel from this vendor and was not disappointed. The pretzel was everything you could want from a hot pretzel. It was salty from the coating but then a hint of sweetness from the dough. It was a little crunchy on top but then smooth and chewy on the inside. Basically the epitome of a pretzel in any city across America. My only sad comment was that I asked for spicy mustard and received honey mustard. I don't like honey mustard. This meant that the pretzel was missing the most important element so next time I will make sure to insist on the spicy mustard. This was not a sit down location so my rating is based strictly on the food, but for $2.38 you can't do much better.

Rating 8/10

2. Dinic's Roast Beef and Pork: You know you are in a good spot when the line for take out has to be managed by a security guard. Luckily, when we were waiting in line, three seats opened at the counter. Again, the aesthetics were not the highlight since we were in the market but I love sitting down and looking at the roast pork that will be carved to order. The waitress was very polite and worked with us non locals like it was all she does.

I ordered a roast pork sandwich with provolone and broccoli rabe. With the pork ready to be cut the food came out quickly which I always love. The sandwich was really good but the pork was a little dry so the au jus at the bottom made all the difference. I wish I could have gotten some au jus on the side and made it into a french dip, that would have been wonderful. The provolone added a creaminess that helped with the dry pork as you got to the base of the bread. The broccoli rabe was an extremely important addition and some needed bitterness to the sandwich. All in all, it was a good lunch and one that I would recommend to a friend.

I would definitely go back to Dinic's but next time I will order the brisket. I saw an order come by me as we were finishing and wow, it looked juicy and covered in sauce, just how I like my brisket. Come to think of it, I may just go back on Wednesday!

Rating: 6/10