FlavBlog

This past Sunday, we finally managed to go for breakfast at the Swedish Cultural Center.  We had been hearing great things from Seattle locals about their “Pancake Breakfast” which is offered the first Sunday of each month (8:30am-1:30pm).  We were hosted by Robin’s friend (co-worker) and her husband, who is 100% Swedish.  It was great to attend the event with them, because they are active members of the Cultural Center and we were able to tour the facilities and learn more about Sweden, which we will be visiting this upcoming summer of 2010!

When we arrived there was a very large line comprised of people of all ages. young urbanites, families, and older members.  There was a band playing traditional Swedish music on a stage, and several folks dressed in more traditional Swedish clothing were dancing on the ballroom floor.  [I'm not sure how they were doing all that bouncing up and down after eating all that food, but I guess that's part of being a Swede].  The tickets for adults cost $8 which gets you 2 full helpings if you have the room.

After waiting a while in line, you arrive at the serving table where you are greeted by Swedish folks who load you up with goodies.  You have 1 ticket for the first round, and a different colored ticket for the seconds.  Be sure you pay attention to your ticket colors!  They start loading the plate with the pancake, made from scratch from a generations old recipe.  The Swedish pancake is lighter and spongy, nothing like an American version, but it more robust than a crepe.  Then they slather a huge dollop of rich lingonberry sauce on top, followed by an even larger dollop of thick homemade whipped cream.  And then you get a slab of salty ham which goes perfectly with all that sugary goodness.  You also have the option of milk, juice, or “Swedish coffee”  (fairly similar to any other tasty Euro variety you’ve might have had).

Afterwords you navigate the maze of tables to find a spot to sit, careful not to spill or tip your plate among all the little ones running around, or the folks engaged in conversations.  We found a table near the window with a beautiful view of Lake Union and the Cascades.  The food is traditional, in the best kind of way.  It doesn’t challenge you, but it satisfies your morning craving, and feels real.  The Lingonberry sauce is worth the trip!  We didn’t go back for seconds, because the first round was more the enough, although now that I’ve been, I’d save room for more the next time.    All in all, we really enjoyed  the event, the company, the music, the food, the family fare…it was all so European in a refreshing way.  We left the breakfast and took a tour of the Cultural Center, which I should mention has all kinds of food and other traditional events lined up in the coming days, weeks, and months…including a smörgåsbord meal and St. Lucia celebration.

Swedish Cultural Center

1920 Dexter Ave. N.

Seattle, WA 98109

(206) 283-1090

This summer we’ve been treated to great tacos at Tako Truk and just last night we enjoyed a repeat of Kye Soon Hong and Eric Vigessa’s outstanding Korean Tacos on Eric and Dawn Wright’s patio (see Gourmet’s recipe and post about the Korean tacos by Matthew-Amster Burton which we missed the first time, and blog post via Rebekah Denn).  Tacos can be fun to make, so differently construed, and be filled with great flavor combos and textures, so I checked out “Tacos,” by Mark Miller at the public library (after an NPR recommendation). A quick perusing and I know we are going to love this cookbook. Rarely, do I buy a cookbook without testing out a few recipes first, but this could be the cookbook for the year and it’s only August. Even before we’ve cooked anything, we are salivating at the 75 options of tacos filled with things like squash blossoms, nopales, wild mushrooms, duck, squid, pork, bacon, or even elk. (Not sure where I can find elk meat in Seattle, but I am sure I could order some).

Saturday midday, we drove to a Pike’s Market, University Market, and Whole Foods to collect all the items we needed. I don’t think I have ever purchased as many dried or fresh chilies in one day as we did yesterday. Our car was filled with the hot spicy scent of capsicum for several hours. Fortunately, Seattle has the true gem when it comes to the purchase of bulk spices, World Spice Merchants. Any spice you want or don’t know you want, they will have it or they will recommend a place to get it. I needed a “few” spices so I created the list and passed it along to the merchants to prepare! My list for chilies included: Ancho, Chipotle, Guajillo, New Mexico, Passilla Negro, and Pasilla de Oaxaca whole and a few more were grounded or flaked. While we waited for the packaging of the spices we headed to El Mercado Latino, a small grocery near Pike’s Market. Surprisingly, we bought all the Mexican ingredients we needed: corn tortillas, queso oaxaca, expazote, and crema Mexicano. Next stop Tonnemaker Family Orchard, at the University District’s farmer’s market. By far, the Tonnemaker Family have the largest selection of fresh chilies and peppers I have ever seen in an open market. Their collection ranges from the hottest to mildest varieties. Vibrant colors of reds, orange, green and yellow overflow the white boxes, small medium and large sizes to choose from. I walked away with 10 different chilies and peppers totaling only a few dollars. Close to the University farmer’s market we usually swing by University Seafood and Poultry for their “fresh-fresh” wild local St. Jude albacore tuna . OMG…we feel this is the best tuna we have had all summer and for $6.95 lb, it’s a steal. The rest of the supplies were from other vendors at the farmer’s market or via Whole Foods.

The menu is now set for the week and we will report on the highlights at the end.

• Bacon, Eggs, Red Chile, and Honey Taco
• Squash Blossoms with Green Chilies and Cheese
• Seared Tuna Taco
• Sonoran Chicken with Nopales Taco
• Classic Ground Beef with Guajillo Chile
• Accompaniments include Tomatillo-Avocado Sauce, Mexican Crema, Roasted Pineapple-Habanero Chile Salsa,  and Salsa Fresca

In a quiet area just off Denny and the corner of 5th, sits Tilikum Place Cafe. With a shortage of restaurants near the Seattle Center, it is a worth a visit, especially if you are in the area for a performance. We look forward to visiting during the regular Seattle Opera season, but we stopped by for an early dinner during the 2nd week of the Seattle’s Wagner Ring Cycle. It is one of the few places we know you can actually sit down to eat at 4 pm (Operas during the Ring start at 6).

With a group of 6 we tried a wide variety of dishes and specials. To start off with cocktails, Michael had the Maritime IPA and I had a cocktail of vodka, peach bitters, and sage. Both drinks provided a refreshing start for the hot evening. The starter dish we ordered was a grilled quail, blueberries, greens, almond corn cake with a little chili oil. The grilled quail was cooked perfectly, moist inside-crispy outside, coupled with the sharpness of the tart blueberries and the bitterness of the greens it made for an immediate delight. The dish was actually served as an entree the evening before, but we grabbed it to split since there was only one order left. Our next course  consisted of the Spanish white anchovies with beet caviar, pickled shallots and a little frisee and a side of baked beans. I know, why the baked beans, well we feel that these “standard” beans can make or break a restaurant. Tilikum’s baked beans definitively made the cut. A great portion of beans, maple sugar sweet, and chunks of salty pork. I could  have licked the bowl, but I held out. The Spanish anchovies were fresh and salty with beet and picked shallots. The beets could have been prepared a little different, because they didn’t provide enough contrast to the shallots and anchovies.

Our main dishes consisted of the Moroccan chicken with white bean and mint soup and the housemade pork terrine with cherry moustarda and cincinnati radishes. Even on a warm summer evening the soup was an amazing blend of rich chicken broth, chicken pieces, vegetables, and spicy flavors-probably cayenne. It makes me look forward to the fall. The pork terrine had solid pieces of shredded pork that easily spread onto baguette slices. The radishes created the crunchy texture contrast with the silkiness of the terrine. Other members of our party had the savory tart with goat cheese and summer squash and the pan seared chicken with toasted dumpling and vegetables. There were mixed reviews of the savory tart because there was too much pastry and little of the filling. While some dishes were a huge hit, others were still pretty good, regardless we hope that Tilikum Place Cafe is here to stay, as we are in dire need of solid restaurant choices for Opera or theatre nights in the Seattle Center area.

TILIKUM PLACE CAFE

407 Cedar Street

Seattle, WA 98121

(206) 282-4830

After visiting Portland in July where we went on a food craze through the city tasting several great dishes right from street carts we were both excited to hear that Tako Truk was just down a little ways from Capitol Hill on Eastlake, set up in the evenings toward weekends out of the 14 Carrot Cafe.  Tako Truk is run by Cormac Mahoney, formerly of Sitka and Spruce (across the street).  We have visited Tako Truk twice.  The first time they didn’t have any of their signature taco (TakoTaco) left when we arrived later in the evening so we went again; and because we heard that they change up the other taco selections frequently.

Tako Truk is open Thursday through Saturday from 6pm to 12am ,give or take a few minutes, but they usually are all out of tacos by 10pm.  (Cash Only!).  You can bundle the taco order, 3 for $5 or buy them solo.  5-7 of them for two keeps us happy.  Tako Truk is in many ways even more simple than a street cart, in that they have no “truk” , except for a plastic toy and a make shift podium signed by visitors painted with their name.  Above hangs a small sign that says Tako Truk, easily missed if you aren’t looking carefully when you drive by.

-Vegetarian Taco

A sweet potato taco filled with a crunchy coleslaw containing two types of cabbage, and a curry-like spice.  This taco surprised me in flavor.  The soft sweet potatoes inside contrasted nicely with the crunchy texture of the green and red cabbage on top.  Again the taco has potent spice flavors which aren’t hidden like some tacos I’ve had.  We have also tried a curried eggplant with chickpeas that was decent, although not a memorable as the sweet potato option.

-Tako Taco

Tako Taco (Octopus)

Their signature taco is called the Tako Taco (Tako = Octopus), which is filled with carefully grilled Octopus, carmelized onions, yogurt, and a spicy red sauce containing chorizo flavor.  The tacos have a nice sourness from the yogurt, great sweetness from onion, grilled flavor and heat kick at the end.

-Pork Taco (Coco Piggy)

This was on the menu both times we visited, and we were glad it was.  Piggy is filled with coconut braised pork shoulder, pork fat and bits and topped with crispy fries (sometime pork rinds) to add a crunchy texture.  It was delicious on both occasions and consistently prepared each time we visited.

Left to Right: Sweet Potato, Beef, Coco Piggy

-Beef Taco

Again, they tend to change the contents of the beef choice frequently, but the one we had was excellent.  A slow braised rich shredded beef in a sweet spicy sauce accompanied by papaya.  The acid from the papaya, sweet and spicy beef, and crunch made for really fun bites.

-Chicken Taco

We’ve had two types of these.  The better one was  the Chicken Adobo.  The Adobo sauces tasted like others I’ve had, but a bit spicier which I liked.  This also has been known to be topped with tiny string-like fries which add a nice crunch.

For drinks at Tako Truk they have a nice lime drink, or you can take your tacos next door to Zoo bar if you fancy a pint of beer and a game of pool.  Tako Truk is a quick, cheap, and tasty spot.  I wish Seattle had more creative cheap food spots like Tako Truk.  I always say this, but when you go to Portland and walk the streets, sampling from cart after cart of food stuffing your belly silly, you’ll understand.  The Tako Truk was allegedly a summer experiment, and might not be around for too long.  That would be a loss for Seattle’s growing street food scene, so we’re hoping that they can find a permanent spot, or simply continue the good thing they have going with Carrot 14.

TAKO TRUK

2305 Eastlake Ave E

Seattle, WA 98102

Now that we have all of the formality of a new blog out of the way, how about posting about something meaningful.  Robin and I sometimes look for new dining options on Friday evenings, and this past Friday we decided to take DailyCandy up on their recommendation regarding a new restaurant in West Seattle called Fresh Bistro.  The restaurant comes from the Herban Feast catering team, including executive chef Dalis Chea (trained at Le Cordon Bleu CA-Portland, and worked previously @ Canlis), who we later met.

Now that we have all of the formality of a new blog out of the way, how about posting about something meaningful.  Robin and I sometimes look for new dining options on Friday evenings, and this past Friday we decided to take DailyCandy up on their recommendation regarding a new restaurant in West Seattle called Fresh Bistro.  The restaurant comes from the Herban Feast catering team, including executive chef Dalis Chea (trained at Le Cordon Bleu CA-Portland, and worked previously @ Canlis), who we later met.

We walked in and were asked if we’d liked to sit at the kitchen bar, which we of course almost never turn down.  Our view of the inner workings of the kitchen couldn’t have been more perfect, and Kevin Kelly (pictured above) one of the chef de partie (Line cooks) was super friendly and we began to immediately probe him as he prepped some of the dishes.  Amanda one of the hostesses welcomed us, and recognized our passion.  I was taken back by the beer menu, as I haven’t seen a respectable restaurant in Seattle put Samuel Smith beers on the menu, and the Oatmeal Stout (one of my top 5 beers of all time) sat flat in the middle of it. I ordered a big bottle of the Sam Smith Organic lager, which I hadn’t tasted. Talk about first impressions!  Robin ordered a Mural cocktail, dedicated to the building’s residents.

In a matter of minutes Chef Kelly, and Dalis placed 2 amuse bouches at our counter.  One was a delicious sweet potato and dungeness crab cakes with chipotle remoulade, smoked paprika and chive oil.  The other comprised 2 shigoku oysters topped with shallot cavier (yes, the homemade mol. gastro kind).  The oysters were as crisp and refreshing as I remembered them from our Chiso Kappo Sukiyaki event (click here and here for more on that) and the shallot kick was a nice touch.  We noticed they also serve a flamed oyster dish, as Kevin was using a torch in prepping an order.

We decided we’d order a few small plates first, and then share a main.  This way we could try 2 different glasses of wine, and have room for dessert, if room allowed.  The shiso crusted honey pecan prawns with green mango slaw, candied pecans, and sriacha foam was interesting, and put a big smile on Robin’s face as she has a special place for shrimp.  The prawns weren’t overly battered, and the green mango cut into the flavors well.  The other plate was quite a bit richer, so I’m glad we ordered a seafood dish adjacent to it.  The Berkshire pork bellies came braised in 5 spices, with fried chickpea cakes, dijon semi, and sweet mustard seeds.  The bellies were diced up into little stripes, and I thought the sweet mustard seeds complimented the salty pork perfectly.  We were recommended to pair the Finca El Tesso Tempranillo (2007) with the pork, and the Verdejo Martina Prieto Pariente (2007) with the prawns.  Both pairings were solid, and we were pleased to get 2 glasses we hadn’t tried, both of which were well made wines, although I’ve had better tempranillos for cheaper.

For our main we decided we’d order the chicken dish.  Something we rarely order when out to eat, because we feel like we’d rather have something a bit more elegant, and we cook it at home often enough.  What caught our eye about this dish?  The red wine rhubarb gastrique, and the fact that it was poussin, something we don’t often have…after much back and forth with Dalis and our waiter telling us the kitchen was out-no wait we have one more left for you all, we tasted.  The dish came as a pretty rich chicken dish given the star anise-infused brine, but the rhubarb gastrique’s tartness balanced the dish.

Dessert isn’t something we often order, especially if they have no official pastry chef on hand.  Robin can bake pretty damn well, and many times we find an utter lack of creativity in this department.  Fresh Bistro surprised us, big time, in the dessert department.  For several reasons we ended up with three desserts out in front of us.  All of which were enjoyable.  The coffee and creme bread pudding with hazelnut creme anglaise.  The “Frozen Trio” contained smoked almond ice cream, cherry marscapone sherbet, and ginger black sorbet.  The step-by-step from one icy treat to the next was a great journey from rich and creamy, to tart, to sweet.  But…the highlight dessert was a creme brulee.  Creme brulee is about as easy to make as a bowl of cereal, honestly.  But Maya Barber-Kurose created a fantastic surprise with this one.  Dalis watched me intently as I dug into it.  It was basil and cherry tomato!  Wow!  After all the rich food, I couldn’t have asked for more pleasant refreshing finish, and a surprise.  I gave him a high 5, as I haven’t had a more interesting dessert in Seattle, in a long time!

The staff at Fresh Bistro are outgoing and are having quite a bit of fun for their first week open.  I think now is a good time to mention that they tend to use sustainable, fresh, farm-to-table ingredients, and that in our view they will be giving the other restaurant in West Seattle (of similar style) some solid competition this summer, as people will be looking for fun places to dine, and eat seasonal fare.

Fresh Bistro

4725 42nd Ave SW

Seattle, WA 98116

206-935-3733