Restaurants

Downtown Napa Dining: Atlas Social + Torc + 1313 Main + Oenotri + Cadet

There are few vacations I find more relaxing than a trip to the Napa Valley. There are always new restaurants to try, old favorites to revisit, and of course wonderful wines to enjoy. The Napa Valley also offers plenty of shopping, spa experiences and interesting art. But first, let’s eat.

Atlas Social is a fun, new downtown venue.

Downtown Napa has come a long way in recent years and offers a wide range of delicious dining destinations that will fit most tastes and budgets. We started our culinary adventures with dinner at Atlas Social www.atlassocialnapa.com, which is operated by the same people who own Azzurro Pizzeria and Enoteca and the Norman Rose Tavern, both in downtown Napa.

Inside Atlas Social.

Atlas Social, which opened in January 2015, has a casual vibe and a big, open dining room and bar area. The menu will appeal to locavores and fans of the farm to fork concept. The dishes, which range from snacks like their addictive Herb Leaf Fries with Meyer Lemon aioli ($6) to platters for a group, like the Garlic and Chili Roasted Whole Fish ($35), Spice Highway Chicken ($19/$35) and Grilled Hanger Steak ($36), are meant for sharing. They have an interesting and well-priced wine list that is all Californian except for a sparkling offering from France. Craft brew lovers won’t go thirsty either. There are beers on tap from California and Oregon, large format beer offerings from the West Coast, and ciders and a few other imported beers in cans.

Crunchy, crispy herb leaf fries with an addictive Meyer Lemon aioli.

We happily worked our way through the seasonally appropriate menu, sampling from all the categories—Farm, Sea, and Ranch plus those amazing fries. We ate the delicious shaved snap pea salad ($8), “angry” shrimp (I didn’t find them all that spicy) with basil, chilies and orange ($14), Masala chicken skewers ($10) and finished with the duck confit ($13), which was a very generous portion.

The shaved snap pea, marcona almond, sieved egg + citrus vinaigrette salad was my favorite dish. Spectacular!

Masala spiced chicken skewers with eggplant-pepper Muhammara + pine nut syrup were nicely seasoned.

Duck confit with frisee, baby spinach, cherries and a pancetta vinaigrette was a hearty and very satisfying dish.

Aside from ordering more food than we should have, we were completely happy with our meal and would definitely return. Check their website www.atlassocialnapa.com for specials, winemaker diners, and other events and pop by for their “Social Experiment” AKA Happy Hour which runs daily from 3 to 6 p.m.

Our next delicious downtown dinner was at TORC www.torcnapa.com . We’ve dined here before and were looking forward to returning.

TORC always seems to draw a crowd.

We’re glad we did. We got a great window table and started our evening with deviled eggs with pickled onions and bacon ($5). We’ve noticed deviled eggs popping up on many Northern Californian menus and we’re happy to sample them.

Deviled eggs seem to be the dish du jour, appearing on many menus lately. These were really tasty.

TORC’s menu focuses primarily on locally raised, sustainable food and the menu changes frequently to ensure that diners are enjoying what’s fresh and available. After the deviled eggs, we shared a Jamon Iberico, romaine, and stone fruit salad ($15)—light and refreshing and the ham brought us back to Spain for at least a short time.

Crisp romaine, succulent Jambon Iberico and stone fruits made a great sharable salad.

We had a gorgeous salmon with fresh peas, radishes and favas and the Alaskan halibut with morels, peas and shaved crispy artichoke ($29). Both dishes were sublime.

This salmon dish captured all the flavors of early summer.

Perfectly prepared halibut with morels and sugar peas.

A 2013 Keplinger Rose (Grenache, Mourvedre, Syrah) was a fine accompaniment for the meal.

This Keplinger rose was just the right match for the meal.

We had excellent service and a delightful evening and left looking forward to another marvelous meal at TORC www.torcnapa.com.

1313 Main www.1313main.com was new for us and definitely deserves a return visit. What began as a wine bar is now a fantastic full- fledged restaurant. Even though there were plenty of people enjoying their meals on the Saturday night that we dined, the room was quiet enough for conversation and quite comfortable for a leisurely meal.

1313 Main should be on your list of downtown Napa dinner spots.

After a complimentary amuse bouche, we began our meal in earnest with a flatbread “carta musica” topped with chevre, lettuces, radishes, raspberries and nasturtiums ($11).

This flatbread was so beautifully presented, it looked almost too good to eat.

Champagne by Henri Goutorbe recommended by somm Bryan, made a festive and well-matched accompaniment.

Sommelier Bryan helped navigate the extensive wine list at 1313 Main.

Next up was a green garlic risotto with green peas, escargot and topped with crunchy garlic breadcrumbs ($17). I rarely order risotto out since I prepare it at home often, but this was delicious.

The risotto was a perfectly delicious.

Bacon-wrapped rabbit loin on a bed of polenta and salsa verde was an excellent choice.

The sturgeon was wrapped in “brick dough” and served with beautiful seasonal vegetables.

We chose a Knez Winery’s K—and Anderson Valley Pinot Noir to accompany our main courses, Sonoma Rabbit ($28) and Sturgeon in Brick Dough ($25). The Day Boat Scallops ($28) and Lamb Saddle ($29) we tempting, too, but will have to wait for the next time.

For once, we saved room for dessert—pound cake churros served with a Valrhona drinking chocolate ($8). A perfect finale to a terrific meal.

Save room for dessert!

1313 Main also offers a seven course Chef’s tasting Menu from amuse bouche to mignardises for $70 per person with an additional $55 for wine pairings.

Complimentary mignardise.

The wine list is very well thought out and will fit most tastes and budgets. Offerings are broad, global and interesting with bottles ranging from a 2010 Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir from Fiddlehead Cellars for $39 to a 2008 Opus One Red Blend from Napa Valley for $1020. Both small and large format bottles are offered including a number of wines available in Jerobaoms and Methuselahs. 1313 Main also has a wonderful champagne list which includes the well-known labels, or grandes marques, as well as bubbles from grower producers and negociants. There are of course a full complement of sweet and fortified wines to end the meal. The people at two adjacent tables seemed to enjoy their dessert wine– two glasses of 1890 De Oliveiras Verdelho Reserva Madeira ($150 per glass) very much– a sweet end to a memorable meal.

Oenotri has a busy, open kitchen and a bustling dining room.

Oenotri www.oenotri.com is a downtown Southern Italian restaurant that we return to again and again. It’s a fun, casual restaurant with delicious, well-priced fare, a lively bar and great service. Salads are inventive and large enough to share. We had a stone fruit salad with pancetta and nuts that was a great beginning to our meal ($13). Other antipasti on offer include pork belly, salmon crudo and seasonal vegetables.

A stone fruit salad was a great choice on a warm night.

Pastas range from a standard like bucatini with Alfredo sauce to an unexpected canneloni stuffed with pigeon. The pasta dishes are also suitable for sharing and prices range from $17 to $18. We didn’t have pasta this time but have enjoyed them as part of past meals here.

The pizzas are thin crusted and tasty and range in price from $15.50 to $18.00. If Oenotri’s seasonal toppings aren’t enough, diners can add traditional items like anchovy, Calabrian Chili or pancetta for a few additional dollars. We shared the nicely spicy “Diavola” pizza with gypsy peppers, lamb sausage and fior di latte with heirloom tomatoes. We added arugula to ours– vegetables are so important!

This was a terrific pie– crispy, thin crust and tasty toppings.

There is also a selection of “secondi”– main plates, usually including a fish, a meat and a poultry dish, that change frequently. We chose the swordfish prepared in the typical Sicilian agrodolce style which was served with grilled squashes and fennel. We had a crisp 2013 Tami Grillo from Sicily which was perfect with the meal. Main courses are in the $28 to $32 range.

Sicilian-style swordfish took me back there, for a little while.

A nice Sicilian wine was a great match for the food.

We were too full for dessert after another delightful dinner at Oenotri! Check their website for events and news www.oenotri.com.

A bonus to our meal was learning from our server about Cadet www.cadetbeerandwinebar.com, a fun little bar just around the alley. Naturally, we had to pop by and check it out. We were there on a surprisingly crowded Monday night. Turns out it is a popular spot among those who work in the hospitality business. Plenty of restaurants are closed on Monday night and Cadet is where those folks go to take a break.

Cadet has a lively bar scene with libations and a casual menu.

Monday is “School Night” at Cadet.

Other restaurants in downtown Napa that we’ve enjoyed and recommend checking out include: Celedon www.celedonnapa.com, Zuzu www.zuzunapa.com, Angele Restaurant + Bar www.angelerestaurant.com, and Kitchen Door www. kitchendoornapa.com at Oxbow Market. If you have any favorites we haven’t talked about, please let us know and we’ll be sure to add them to the list for our next visit.

Exploring San Francisco’s Mission District

It’s easy to spend your entire day just wandering around the Mission District. There’s someplace inviting to eat and drink every few feet, interesting shops, galleries, independent bookstores (there are still a few left) and of course, the Mission Dolores, for which the area is named.

One of many inviting places to stop for a bite in the Mission District.

Our itinerary included some of all of the above. First, lunch at the ever-popular Pizzeria Delfina. We’ve enjoyed many delicious dinners at Delfina www.delfinasf.com, a lively, casual Italian restaurant that many say marked the beginning of the Mission District’s popularity as a dining destination back in 1998 when Craig and Annie Stoll first opened their doors. Today, we’re looking for lunch, and Delfina serves dinner only, so it’s Pizzeria Delfina (right next door) for lunch.

The original Pizzeria Delfina is right next door to the restaurant and has sidewalk tables.

With Delfina owner Craig Stoll.

There is almost always a lengthy line of hungry folks waiting for the pie at Pizzeria Delfina www.pizzeriadelfina.com. No reservations are accepted but there is a chalkboard right inside the small space– write your name and the number in your party then stand on line and wait your turn. Watch the pizzaoli as you wait—it’ll be your turn soon enough!

Lunchtime at Pizzaria Delfina.

The menu has a nice variety of pizzas with perfect thin and crunchy crusts (puffy on the edges—just like I like it), salads, antipasti and some desserts. There is limited seating inside but there are also some tables on the sidewalk. Wine and beer are available along with soft drinks. Service is friendly and pizzas are delivered to your table prontissimo.

Everything on the simple menu is fresh and delicious.

Perfect pizza– puffy, crunchy crust and best quality toppings.

If pizza is not what you’re after, Tartine www.tartinebakery.com is right on the corner. When we were loitering around the closed Pizzaria Delfina one sad Monday—the only day they are not open, owner Craig Stoll directed us to Tartine— one of his neighborhood favorites.

Crowds queue for Tartine’s pastries, breads and hot pressed sandwiches.

Diners in the back of the room can watch the bakers at work.

Superb sandwiches, salads, light meals and beautiful pastries are available in this small storefront, which also almost always has a line, especially on the weekends. If you grab a table near the back, you can watch the bakers at work and enjoy the heady aroma of baking bread.

If you haven’t satisfied your sweet tooth, walk a few blocks over to Valencia St. for dessert and learn how chocolate is made at Dandelion Small- Batch Chocolate.This café and factory has organized tours (book online at www.dandelionchocolate.com) but even if you haven’t been able to reserve a formal tour, it’s easy to see the chocolate makers at work in the open kitchen area and they are happy to answer questions.

Reserve a tour of Dandelion’s chocolate making facility online.

The current roaster can handle five kilos of cacao beans. The new facility will have a 50 kilo roaster.

We couldn’t join a tour but Lisa Vega, executive pastry chef, was kind enough to show us around and explain the chocolate making process from bean procurement (high quality, single source beans from numerous countries including Ecuador, Madagascar, Belize, and Venezuela), to sorting, roasting, winnowing, melanging, blocking, tempering, and finally, wrapping the bars for sale.

Executive Pastry Chef Lisa Vega was happy to show us around.

Dandelion’s chocolate makers create small batch chocolates everyday.

Their chocolates are made from two ingredients only– cacao and sugar.

After you’ve satisfied your curiosity, sample the wares while you wait to place your order for a delicious cocoa or coffee drink and something sweet to eat. There are plenty of tempting items both to enjoy at the café and to take home.

It isn’t easy to choose!

Complimentary samples are available of most of the single source chocolates.

Dandelion Chocolate also has a small kiosk in the Ferry Building, which sells their tasty products, books and other chocolate-related merchandise. The Ferry Building location is at the same end of the building as Miette Patisserie www.miette.com and Humphrey Slocombe Ice Cream www.humphreyslocombe.com— just across the way from Slanted Door’s take away place, Out the Door www.outthedoors.com.

Soon chocolately drinks like these will also be available at the Ferry Building.

Dandelion has plans for a cocoa café there as well, so you can enjoy their delicious drinks even if you don’t make it to the Mission.

Say cheese– at Mission Cheese.

If it’s cheesy goodness you’re craving, check out Mission Cheese www.missioncheese.net. This little shop is across from the “parklet” on Valencia and just two doors down from Dandelion Chocolate. Sample and purchase a wide variety of cheeses both domestic and imported, or make a meal of it with their gooey mac n’ cheese, a pressed cheese sandwich, charcuterie or a cheese flight. They also offer a fine selection of wine, beer and ciders, plus coffee, teas and dessert.

There’s plenty to see and do in the Mission.

Need pirate supplies? Pop into 826 Valencia St. in the Mission www.826valencia.org It’s the only “independent pirate supply store” in San Francisco.

Stop in to 826 for pirate supplies and to support young writers’ programming.

There you’ll find an assortment of pirate paraphernalia including “Scurvy Be Gone,” pirate flags, booty chests, tattoo removers (metal brushes aka “the low cost option”), looking glasses, maps, eye patches, tee shirts, books and much, much more.

Everyday is “Talk like a Pirate Day.”

In the back room, you’ll see what makes this space so important—it’s the free writing/tutoring lab author and 826 Valencia co-founder Dave Eggers began in the storefront in 2002, along with educator Ninive Calegari.

The writing/tutoring lab is the heart of 826 Valencia.

826 Valencia is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to supporting underserved Bay Area students ages six to 18 by working with them to develop their writing skills. According to the 826 Valencia’s website, the group serves more than 6,000 students annually thanks to their 1,700 Bay Area volunteers. They also have an outreach program for teachers. Books by the young authors, including numerous anthologies, are available for sale, as are quarterly subscriptions to the young writers’ work. For more information on in-store events, volunteer and donation opportunities, and the writing programs, visit www.826valencia.org. Proceeds from all sales in the pirate shop support the free writing programs, so stop by and pick up a few treasures, matey.

Support independent booksellers.

Borderlands Bookstore www.borderlands-books.com is also on Valencia and home to new and used sci-fi, mystery, horror and fantasy titles. Independent bookstores like these are getting increasingly hard to find, and in fact, Borderlands was in danger of closing earlier this year due to the dramatic increase in minimum wage now required by the state of California. A community meeting and the clever idea to sell 300 $100 sponsorships have kept the doors open so far.

Grab a cup of coffee with your sci-fi.

Borderlands has special events including author readings and signings and a nice café right next door, too. I always like to support independent booksellers and encourage everyone else to do so. If you’re in the neighbor and your shelves are looking a little empty, stop in and buy a book or two.

The Mission is named for the beautiful Mission Dolores.

Finally, a visit to the actual Mission www.missiondolores.org, the oldest intact building in San Francisco. As we mentioned earlier, the Mission District takes its name from the Mission San Francisco de Asis established by Father Junipero Serra in 1776, but also commonly called Mission Dolores because of a nearby creek, Arroyo de los Dolores or “Creek of Sorrows.”

The gorgeous painted wooden ceiling is one of the highlights at Mission Dolores.

If the Mission Dolores seems familiar, it’s probably because you’ve seen it in the movies. Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo with Kim Novak and Jimmy Stewart was filmed here in 1957. Visitors are welcome, and for a small fee, can tour the church with it’s brightly painted wooden ceiling and alter piece, outbuildings and gardens, as well as the small cemetery, which was the final resting place of missionaries and parishioners alike.

Visit the tranquil gardens.

There are antique vestments, a diorama depicting how the mission functioned, paintings and Native American artifacts on display. There is also a small gift shop with handicrafts, devotional candles, rosary beads, prayer cards and Alfred Hitchcock bobble heads—really!

A tribute to “Vertigo.”

Take a few hours, an afternoon, or the whole day, and explore this fascinating area of San Francisco. Buy some books. Enjoy a meal or a drink. Pick up some chocolate, cheese or even a bobble head while you’re there!

San Francisco’s Star-Studded Dining Scene: Al’s Place, Lord Stanley, Kin Khao, SBP

Forget any notion of stuffy dining rooms, pretentious servers and worshipful silence that Michelin- starred restaurants may conjure in your mind. A recent trip to San Francisco showed beyond a doubt that dining in that city’s expanding constellation of contemporary, casual (unless you feel like dressing up), one star Michelin restaurants is more about revelry than reverence.

Think fun not fussy at San Francisco’s constellation of one-star Michelin restaurants.

Al’s Place, Lord Stanley, and Kin Khao were on our list this time, as well as a return to State Bird Provisions, which we discussed in detail in a previous post.

Al’s Place

We were only able to get a 5:30 p.m. reservation on a Sunday night at the very popular Al’s Place. The sparely decorated room was packed when we arrived. There are only 46 seats at this Mission District eatery and they are in high demand—it’s no wonder with Chef/owner Aaron London at the helm. His creative cookery is the reason Bon Appetit magazine named Al’s Place best new restaurant of 2015. Just about everything coming out of the tiny kitchen was remarkable.

Chef Aaron London (AL’s Place) was kind enough to stop and smile for a quick pic. His fantastic fries are pictured to his left.

We were a party of four that night so had the chance to sample quite a bit of the menu, which is designed for sharing. One of our guests had food sensitivities but the kitchen was incredibly accommodating.

There’s a reason Al’s Place is packed. The food is stellar and the service exceptional.

Start with some Snackles—small dishes just right for munching while you enjoy an aperitif and decide what else you’d like to eat. We had chickpeas Catalan style and the highly touted brined French fries served with a smoked apple dipping sauce. The fries lived up to their reputation–crispy and differently delicious!

Catalan style chick peas with a tasty Romesco sauce was one of the snackles we chose.

Next up were the Cold/Cool choices. Some eyes rolled when I suggested a salad, but our server, Rebecca, assured us that this would be the most beautiful salad ever and she was right—cool, crisp greens, avocado, pistachio, all topped with lovely edible flowers.

A beautiful salad, indeed.

We also chose the green bean casserole. This is not the casserole of anybody of a certain age’s youth—the dish was composed of perfectly cooked green beans served cold with tiny tomatoes, micro greens, basil, and creamy burrata—yum!

Not your mother’s green bean casserole.

The black lime cod in stone fruit curry was the star of the Warm/Hot offerings, for us. The fish was perfectly prepared and the curry was complex with just the right amount of heat.

The cod in stone fruit curry was spectacular.

The yellow eye bean stew with torn bread was hearty and could have been a meal on its own. Some at our table found it a little salty though.

Yellow eye bean stew with torn bread was a substantial dish.

Our pick from the Sides was smoked brisket. We’re still not sure why this dish is considered a side. It was a large portion and our companions pronounced it thoroughly delicious. We got a second order.

The brisket could be the centerpiece of any Sunday supper.

On our visit, Limited Availability choices included trouty brioche, fish head under a brick, a dry aged rib eye and foie gras. Limited Availability means just that, so if you see something you like, order it. It may not be on the menu the next time around. We said, “yes” to the trouty brioche with its terrific textures, colors and tastes. It was a thick slice of brioche with roe and pickled green peach—superb.

Trouty Brioche featured creamy cheese nestled under a bed of crunchy roe on a tender slice of brioche.

Though we all were very satisfied with our dinner, we couldn’t resist dessert. The brownie with ice cream was perfect for sharing and a sweet ending to a sensational meal.

We always try to save room for dessert. A good idea at Al’s Place.

Dine al fresco at one of the street side tables.

Al’s Place also has a few outdoor tables on the side of the restaurant. Perhaps we’ll try one of those on our next visit– and there will definitely be a next visit! (Update– we have returned to Al’s Place several times and have always been delighted with the food, service, wine– the entire experience!)

Lord Stanley

If you go to Lord Stanley, and you should, consider sharing all of the dishes you want to try, especially if there are only two of you. You’ll have the opportunity to try more of the delicious dishes on offer that way.

Lord Stanley has tables upstairs and down. The room is casual and lively.

We shared starters—salt cod beignets and onion petals in sherry vinegar and then had the heirloom tomatoes—all deliciously good and clever rifts on what only sound like simple dishes.

Onion petals in sherry vinegar topped with edible flowers was our first dish.

The salt cod beignets were tasty with a dollop of house- made tartar sauce.

A look inside the beignets.

Each dish had something special and unexpected—all in a very tasty and good way. The heirloom tomatoes were done with cardamom and gazpacho, for example.

Perfectly ripe heirloom tomatoes in a light, bright gazpacho.

We both had the incredible halibut for our entrees which was served with butter beans, roasted dashi, and samphire, whose crunchy texture reminded us of ice plant. It was all delicious, prepared perfectly, and easily big enough to share. We realized we could have had a meat dish as well, had we chosen just one order of halibut. The short rib at the next table looked amazing—and we were assured that it was. Next time!

The halibut was succulent and rich.

Lord Stanley has a well-priced and interesting wine list. Our server was very knowledgeable and made several excellent suggestions for wine pairings.

Lord Stanley’s interesting wine list has a number of organic/ biologic wines on offer.

This light Loire Valley red was organically cultivated and manually harvested. It was a fine complement to our meal.

Though we’d had plenty to eat, we splurged and had the dark chocolate pudding with black sesame and toasted rice for dessert. The “pudding” was a delightfully different assemblage of tastes and textures from the dark chocolate crumbles to the crispy toffee on top.

The dark chocolate pudding was a winner in both taste and texture.

Don’t be put off by Kin Khao’s simple surroundings. Located in the Parc 55 Hotel in what looks a lot like a coffee shop—this place is really good. They have extraordinary Thai food, attentive, knowledgeable service and a solid wine list with interesting choices that complement the cuisine nicely.

Spare surroundings belie the rich, tantalizing Thai food on offer.

The brief wine list perfectly complements the complex flavors of the food.

Entrees are pretty large but the appetizers are so good, it’s hard not to start with one or two. The Som Tum Papaya Salad is complex, flavorful and super hot—maybe the spiciest item on the small menu, but one bite leads to another and after a few, you’ll enjoy the heat.

If you like it spicy, don’t miss this papaya salad.

The Pretty Hot Wings are just that, and pretty tasty, too. They hold their own against Andy Ricker’s Pok Pok wings in our estimation.

Tangy, spicy and just right, these wings hold their own against more well- known competitors.

The Pinto Market Lunch with green curry, rabbit meatballs, pork riblets, salad and rice was more than satisfying and a veritable smorgasbord of taste treats.

The Pinto Market Lunch is a hearty, satisfying meal full of flavor.

A light chicken broth and a additional house- made curry sauce come on the side.

We also had a very hearty and savory noodle dish called Kanom Jeen Nam Ngiew. Tender braised pork cheeks with rice noodles, Ngiew flowers, cherry tomatoes, pickled mustard greens in a hearty pork broth made a delicious dish. Curries are prepared in- house from scratch each day.

Kanom Jeen Nam Ngiew was a sensational dish with complex flavors.

For a smaller appetite or on a hot day, try the chicken fat rice with ginger poached chicken, served with a restorative cup of chicken broth—light and delicious.

The Pad Kee Mao with drunken egg noodles, ground pork, chilis basil and onions was outstanding. It’s also available as a vegetarian dish made with tofu.

Kin Khao has numerous vegetarian and gluten free items on their menu. Some items can easily be made vegetarian by substituting tofu.

Kin Khao’s dining room between meals.

We’ve enjoyed several lunches and dinner at Kin Khao and have been delighted each time. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner.

State Bird Provisions

State Bird Provisions is still a tough table to get but well worth it.

Our unreserved and enthusiastic recommendation of State Bird Provision still stands. We had another terrific evening enjoying lots and lots of small, shared, interesting dishes at this popular Michelin one-star restaurant.

Perfect heirloom tomatoes with crunchy quinoa and tahini chili oil. Piquant and refreshing.

Sashimi grade fish and careful spicing makes SBP’s take on poke outstanding.

If you can score a table here do it, even if you have to get up at midnight, 60 days in advance to book, which is exactly what we do. If that doesn’t work out, take heart, they do take a limited number of walk-ins at 5:30 p.m., every night.

A whole grain pancake topped with fiscalini cheddar and heirloom tomato is a two bite treat.

State Bird’s extensive wine list has something for every palate. Try one of their wine flights.

The San Francisco Bay Area now has 49 Michelin star-rated restaurants from Los Gatos to the Napa Valley. What are you waiting for? Let’s go eat! Find new favorites? Please share them with us.

Seattle: Whirlwind Weekend in the Emerald City

Art, food and fun highlighted our three-day weekend in the Emerald City. We started off our Saturday morning with a monorail ride from the central shopping area to the Center City area, home of the iconic Space Needle. The monorail, which was built for the 1962 World’s Fair, costs just $3.00 and is only $1.50 for seniors, children under 12, disabled, and active duty military.

It’s a quick but fun ride on Seattle’s monorail.

The trip takes only minutes between Westlake Center Station at 5^th and Pine Streets and The Seattle Center Station. Purchase your ticket at the kiosk or from the cashier as you enter the train. The monorail runs every seven minutes or so from 8:30 a.m. on weekends (7:30 a.m. during the week) until 11 p.m.

Sonic Bloom greets visitors walking to EMP or Chihuly Garden and Glass. The “sunflowers” move and emit sound.

The monorail drops you off steps from at the Space Needle, Chihuly Garden and Glass and MoPOP Museum (formerly called Experience Music Project).

Seattle’s iconic Space Needle was built for the 1962 World’s Fair.

We’d been to the Space Needle on previous visits so headed right to the Chihuly Garden and Glass.

There’s a reason Chihuly Garden and Glass is on everyone’s Top 10 list. Don’t miss it!

We should have bought our tickets online—the lines were long for the cashiers inside and at the outdoor kiosks, and cost more than the online price. Plan ahead! Once you have your ticket and have reached the admission area, ask to have your arm stamped so that you can return in the evening (6 p.m. to 10 p.m.) to view these magnificent glass works illuminated. The sun sets quite late in Seattle during the summer months so keep that in mind when planning your return visit.

Prepare to be amazed. Detail of Chihuly’s Sealife Tower.

The Chihuly Garden and Glass is included in Seattle’s City Pass so if you plan to visit more than one of the included attractions—yes, the Space Needle is one of them—you may want to opt for the City Pass. You’ll save money and time since you won’t wait on line.

Tabac Basket in the Northwest Room.

Once inside, be prepared to be awed. There is a reason Chihuly Garden and Glass is on everyone’s “must see” list. We heard more than a few “wows” as soon as we stepped into the first gallery. Dale Chihuly’s glass art works are artistic, whimsical and beyond stunning.

Mille Fiori-– A thousand flowers- delight the senses.

These photos cannot capture the splendid forms, movement, intricacy and vibrant colors in Chihuly’s work but they do give an hint of what you’ll experience at Chihuly Garden and Glass. It is a magical place.

Persian Ceiling floods the room with color from above.

It seems as you move from gallery to gallery the works get progressively more beautiful and intricate. The lighting, staging and even the music in the galleries combine to create a magnificent experience.

Ikebana and Float Boats capture the viewer’s imagination.

A stroll through the gorgeous gardens is another delight. The art is so beautifully integrated in the various plantings that you’ll want to linger.

A view in the garden.

Northwest timber is integrated in the glass garden.

We had the added benefit of a spectacular day—clear, blue skies and temperatures in the mid-70s. The soothing background music being performed by a gentleman playing the Eyhu on the street just outside the garden added to our enjoyment.

Soothing music further enhanced our enjoyment of the gardens.

The works on display are included in a fairly comprehensive catalog titled, Chihuly Garden and Glass, available in the gift shop in the lobby. It is one of many available volumes featuring Mr. Chihuly’s art. In addition to the usual museum gift shop items like books and calendars featuring the artist’s work, original pieces of Chihuly’s glass art are also on offer and priced from $5,000.

This is no ordinary gift shop.

A spectacular souvenir.

If you’ve worked up an appetite after your stroll through the garden, head over to the Seattle Center Armory a few steps away. Originally built in 1939 to house the 146^th artillery and its half-ton tanks, it was repurposed for the 1962 World’s Fair and became the city’s first vertical shopping mall, called the Food Circus.

Once home to an artillery unit and half-ton tanks, the Armory now features food and family fun.

Today, in addition to a public space that hosts more than 3,000 free family entertainment and cultural events each year, you’ll find a food court that’s got something for everyone. Though Starbuck’s and Subway do have a presence here, they share the main floor with more interesting offerings from the likes of Eltana’s Wood- Fired Bagel Café, Seattle Fudge, MOD Pizza, Kabab, Cool Guys Fry Bar, Ceres Roasting Company, Bigfood BBQ, Quincy’s (burgers and seafood) , Blue Water Taco, Plum Pantry (vegan and organic selections), The Confectional and Skillet Counter.

The Seattle Center Armory is a busy place at lunchtime.

Mediterranean street food, beef baracoa, fish tacos, Belgian style fries, individual cheesecakes, pizza, vegan fare, and a terrific fried chicken sandwich are among the tantalizing possibilities we deliberated for lunch.

So many choices…

We chose Skillet Counter where the Fried Chicken Sammy with a fennel seed crust, kale, and jalapeno aioli on a potato roll called out to my traveling companions. I had a delicious curried carrot soup and a salad. We met Chef Mike “Mookie” who kindly shared his recipe for the soup and the aioli. Looking forward to whipping up some of that at home!

Skillet Counter’s Chef Mike aka “Mookie”

If you’ve got little ones in tow—you’re in luck—Seattle’s Children’s Museum is just downstairs. Here you’ll find interactive exhibitions, hands on, and age appropriate activities for children ages 10 months to 10 years.

Seattle Children’s Museum is lots of fun for the little ones.

After our satisfying lunch at Skillet Counter, we headed down towards Elliott Bay to the Olympic Sculpture Park, part of the Seattle Art Museum. So much to see and do in the Emerald City!

Emerald City Eats: Bar Sajor & Cupcake Royale

Bar Sajor is owned by the same people behind Sitka and Spruce, along with several other Seattle eateries www.sitkaandspruce.com. We enjoyed one of our first communal table meals there several years ago—a very popular concept in the friendly Northwest. Bar Sajor www.barsajor.com has an open kitchen with a large wood burning fireplace on which a number of dishes are prepared. The room is open, airy and has a very casual vibe but there is an undercurrent of hip pretentiousness, which didn’t bother us. It was a warm evening but the windows were open wide to allow in the welcome breeze. The restaurant was busy but still fairly quiet for a Saturday night.

Bar Sajor’s airy, casual dining room.

Bar Sajor, like Sitka and Spruce is dedicated to the farm–to- fork concept using local purveyors for nearly everything on offer. The menu, which changes regularly to reflect seasonally available ingredients, is meant for sharing. Diners are encouraged to choose a selection of dishes to share with the entire table. Many dishes are available in several sizes to accommodate larger groups and appetites. Food is served as soon as it is ready in the kitchen, typically in no particular order. If you have a desire to receive your dishes in a specific order, you can ask, or just order a few items at a time, pausing between orders, which is what we did.

It’s fun to watch the chef preparing dishes in the fireplace.

We started our evening with beers (local drafts and foreign and domestic bottles are served) and a nice glass of rose—perfect for a sultry summer evening. Bar Sajor is another of those restaurants that charges $5 for bread but theirs is “naturally leavened” and served with the very “of the moment” cultured butter and flake salt. It was really tasty and the cultured butter, which had a nice tang, was served in an oyster shell.

Cultured butter in an oyster shell adds a touch of whimsy.

The “simple” salad was anything but. It featured crisp snap peas, Shunkyo radishes, fava beans, and fiddlehead ferns– which added a nice texture and an earthy element. All of the vegetables were perfect. The green goddess dressing was light and balanced, unlike the gloopy goo that was poured from bottles many decades ago. The salad is available in two sizes at $13 or $17. It made a delicious first course.

There’s no excuse not to eat your vegetables when they’re this good.

Next, we enjoyed a beautifully presented “Grand Aoili” with dipping vegetables including seaweed, hard cooked egg, and a nice assortment of local fin fish and shell fish including Dungeness crab, shrimp, and house-smoked mussels. My only complaint—the dish could have been heavier on the seafood and perhaps the largest sized platter is. This dish is available in three sizes at $30, $55 or $95. We had a nice flinty Sancerre with the Aoili.

The Grand Aioli brought back memories of France.

Our meat course was a juicy, perfectly prepared ribeye. The meat was cooked over coals and served with baby squash and Meyer lemon. It was a pricey $56 but certainly satisfied the carnivores at the table and their voracious appetites.

The ribeye was a meat eater’s delight.

The Sequim strawberries and warm coppa arrived at the same time as our ribeye. The berries were perfectly ripe and the ham was an excellent compliment to the fruit. These were served with lavender and black sesame seeds. Delicious! The price was $16.

The coppa complimented the berries beautifully.

With the meat and berry courses, we enjoyed a bottle of Domaine Philemon, a red varietal made with Braucol grapes from Gaillac, in the Southwest of France. The wine has a nice spiciness and a woodsy, floral aroma, perfect with those dishes.

We were much too full for dessert. Besides, we had our dessert much earlier in the day when we stopped at Cupcake Royale www.cupcakeroyale.com. Highly recommended to us by a Seattle friend, Cupcake Royale has multiple locations. We stopped in at the one near the Pike Place Market www.pikeplacemarket.org.

No need to choose between cake and ice cream at Cupcake Royale. Try both.

The small storefront has delicious cupcakes in seasonal flavors like Raspberry Pavlova, Blackberry Brown Butter and Blueberry Lavender Honeycomb, and at least a dozen rotating ice cream flavors. You don’t have to choose between cake and ice cream here—have both. They also have coffee drinks– this is, after all, Seattle. There is limited seating available inside.

Cupcakes and ice cream worth the wait!

If you haven’t satisfied your sweet tooth after Cupcake Royale, pop into the wine and chocolate shop next door. While we were enjoying our ice cream cones, one of our traveling companions took advantage of the complimentary wine tasting going on there. Next, another day, another delicious dinner.

Super Seattle Supper at Terra Plata

We chose Terra Plata www.terraplata.com for our Sunday supper and we’re glad we did. This Capitol Hill restaurant features a large bar and rough-hewn wooden tables mostly filled by groups of young people and families all obviously enjoying their meals and beverages. It was another warm summer Seattle night but the big open windows helped to keep it cool inside.

Terra Plata has a fun, casual vibe.

There are cocktails and a nice selection of beers and ciders on tap or in bottles, including local brews from Washington and Oregon at Terra Plata. The reasonably priced wine list features plenty of good choices from the Northwest, Italy, France and Spain. We began with a glass of sparkling rose from Chatau Moncontour in the Loire Valley for $13, and a round of Bale Breaker IPAs at $6 each. We chose a refreshing rose from Chateau Teulon in Costieres de Nimes at $32 to accompany our meal.

The large bar area filled up as the evening progressed.

Terra Plata’s menu is divided into snacks and starters, earth, sea, and land. Like at many Northwest restaurants, sharing is heartily encouraged. Starters ranged from Moroccan olives at $6, to $13 for blistered Shishito peppers or roasted grapes with olives, walnuts and crostini, and topped out at $22 for the generous charcuterie plate.

Serrano ham and cherries punched up the flavor profile of this tasty salad.

The butter lettuces served with Cabrales dressing (a blue cheese), cherries and crisp Serrano ham from the “earth” category was $14 and perfect for sharing—which we did. Other choices included beets with sheep’s cheese, arugula and pistachio at $20; a radish plate with English pea butter, anchovy butter and “roof top” herbs for $11; or a risotto with peas, mint, mascarpone, parmigiano and pea leaves for $26.

We would heartily endorse the halibut.

We opted for our own entrees, though shared tastes of course. The halibut with skordalia, charred garlic scapes (a member of the green onion family), crushed olives and lemon tahini vinaigrette was perfectly prepared and beautifully presented. It was well worth the $32. The others at the table enjoyed the succulent roast pig with chorizo, clams, hot smoked paprika, chicharron and “bay scented” potatoes. The $30 roast pig was so large that two people could easily have shared one portion.

Crunchy chicharron were a perfect foil for the succulent roast pork.

Once again, we were too full for dessert, but several at our table chose to sample a few of the Madeiras ($7 and $9 per glass) on the wine list–a perfect ending to a delicious meal. Terra Plata’s wait staff was very friendly and knowledgeable and gave us excellent guidance throughout the evening. We will definitely return!

Wild Ginger: Seattle Standby

Wild Ginger www.wildginger.net has been part of Seattle’s restaurant scene since 1989. We have visited the Asian eatery and satay bar several times during numerous visits to the Emerald City. This time, we chose it for lunch.

Wild Ginger can accommodate large groups in its multi-level downtown restaurant.

The downtown location (there is also one in Bellevue) is huge and has multiple dining rooms on two levels. Wild Ginger offers an expansive menu with dishes from Thailand, Vietnam, China, Indonesia and Malaysia. You’ll find lots of traditional favorites on the menu, including gluten free and vegan options, which should appeal if you have a large group. There were a number of these at our recent visit.

The expansive menu has vegan and gluten free options.

Starters include Siam lettuce cups at $18.50/ $22.50, traditional Chinese potstickers for $9.50/$13.50, and Vietnamese style chicken wings for $13.50. We began with fresh and tasty “Buddha rolls”– spring rolls served with a pineapple dipping sauce, $9.50.

Tasty Buddha Rolls started our meal.

We decided to skip the soup and salad category which ranges from squash and sweet potato stew $5, to green papaya salad $11. Though many of the main dishes, like the fragrant duck $16.50/$28 and green curry chicken $13.50/$17.50, sounded delicious, we opted for several luncheon specials, which we shared. Luncheon specials rotate regularly, about every other week. These typically include poultry, fish, meat, and vegetable options, and a “chef’s special” fried rice dish.

The chicken curry was delicious. We wanted more.

Our waiter recommended the special yellow chicken curry with bok choy $14, and told us he ordered himself any time it appeared on the menu. We agreed it was delicious! He also touted the grilled prawns $15, which sounded tasty, but we found the dish pedestrian and disappointing. If you’re planning on sharing, be aware that servings were quite small, at least among the dishes we chose.

Seafood, poultry, meat and vegetable options are available as lunch specials.

If you’re interested in imbibing, Wild Ginger has a large, well thought out wine list as well as cocktails, beer, and of course, teas and soft drinks. Overall, Wild Ginger offers a wide variety of good Asian food, but if you don’t choose wisely, you’ll find yourself with an expensive tab at the end of the meal.

Headed to Hawaii? What to Know Before You Go

Note: Even though Covid and the many restrictions (travel and otherwise) that came with it is behind us, I’m leaving this post up to memorialize the experience!

It seems like almost everyone I know is either on their way, just returned, or is planning a trip to Hawaii. With most international destinations still off limits for Americans, Hawaii is the perfect escape—mainlanders can enjoy a far flung holiday without leaving the USA. A trip to paradise during the pandemic is not going to happen without planning though. Gone are the days of buying a ticket and showing up at the airport. The State of Hawaii has testing requirements and rules in place to safeguard the health of its citizens and those wishing to enjoy a tropical get-away. Here’s what you need to know before you go.

First step—visit Safe Travels: State of Hawaii https://travel.hawaii.gov Here’s where you’ll find all current travel rules and requirements. They change frequently! You can also find helpful information at http://hawaiicovid19.com. You will need a Covid-19 test within 72-hours of travel and it must be administered by an approved testing organization. These are listed on the website. We used Carbon Health at San Diego’s airport. It was seamless and our results were back in plenty of time to upload and add to our documentation on the SafeTravelHawaii site. It was not inexpensive—we paid $170 each but knowing we’d have our results back on time reduced our stress level considerably.

*Visit https://travel .hawaii.gov before you pack for paradise!*

There is also a mandatory online questionnaire to complete. Once you’ve submitted all the information required, the State of Hawaii will send you a QR code. You will need this to check in for your flight and at your hotel. Some car rental companies may also want to see and scan your code. Consider printing a copy or two and keeping it with you along with a printed copy of your negative Covid-19 test results. WiFi can be spotty and you may need to show the QR code even when you can’t access it on your mobile device.

*Each of the Hawaiian Islands has their own travel regulations. In Maui, you need to download the contact tracing app, for example.*

if you’re traveling to Maui, as we were, you’ll need to download the contact tracing app for the island. Each of the Hawaiian Islands has their own, very specific rules and travel between islands also requires compliance with local regulations. You must meet all of these requirements even if you are fully vaccinated.

*Alaska Airline’s pre-screening meant we got off the plane and started our vacation with no further Covid-19 checks necessary.*

Your airline may also be of assistance in your travel preparations. We were able to complete a pre-clearance check before boarding our Alaska Airlines http://www.alaskaair.com flight. The wristbands we were given meant once we landed, we were free to leave the airport with no further interactions or delays. Hawaii means business– there were officials positioned throughout the airport, checking for wristbands. Those without them were whisked away.

*Hawaii is a very popular destination right now, especially since most international travel is still off limits to Americans.*

There is a mandatory quarantine in effect for anyone arriving without the required testing and documentation. I read recently of a couple who tried to bribe a TSA official upon landing without having been tested. They wanted to avoid quarantine and instead were arrested.

*We spent lots of time admiring rainbows, whale watching and staring at the sea in Maui.*

Be sure to book your rental car when you buy your air tickets. I’ve heard horror stories lately about the lack of rental car availability and the outrageous prices being charged. Do not expect to find a rental car without a reservation on any of the islands.

Because Hawaii is such a popular destination right now, make restaurant reservations before you leave home. We were lucky to get reservations for the last two nights of our 10-day holiday.

*Many popular restaurants were fully booked for the first week of our vacation. We would have booked our favorites before we left home, had we known!*

Due to Covid restrictions, restaurants are operating at limited capacity and reservations are a must at most places. Some of the more casual eateries will accept walk-ins and we had a luck with that at Maui Brewing Company www.mauibrewing.com on our first night. If you’re craving beer and a burger (or that tasty kalua pork), this is a great option and it’s family-friendly, too. I’m not much of a beer drinker but our friendly server gave me a few tastes to find one I liked– the Wiamea Red was my pick.

*The Wiamea Red and Hazy Big Swell IPA were perfect with our burger and tacos after a long travel day.*

*Maui Brewing makes a wide range of local beers from Bikini Blonde lager to the very robust Imperial Coconut Porter. They offer flights so you can try a few!*

They offer their beer to go with or without take-away food orders and it’s priced better at the brewery than the Safeway. They have two locations on Maui and two on Oahu. We ate at the Lahaina/Kahana outpost.

If you are up for a night out and enjoy Asian cuisine, Star Noodle in Lahaina www.starnoodle.com gets two thumbs up from us. We had such a delicious lunch that we returned for dinner later in our stay.

*Great food and a fabulous location make Star Noodle one of our top picks!*

The seating is almost all outdoors and right on the ocean–just what you want on a Hawaiian holiday. All the noodles are made in-house and both the Hot n Sour noodles and Singapore noodles were delicious.

*All the noodles at Star Noodle are made in-house and are delicious!*

The Nuoc Cham wings were so tasty we ate them both times! The Adobo Ribs were excellent as were the Colossal Tempura Shrimp but beware—these dishes sell out and when they’re gone, they’re gone.

*These Nuoc Cham wings were so good we ordered them twice.*

*We enjoyed a lunch and a dinner at Star Noodle. Reservations for both are required!*

Star Noodle is located right next door to the Old Lahaina Luau www.oldlahainaluau.com and during our dinner we could hear the drumming and the singing from next door. I even caught a glimpse of a few performers headed to the stage.

*The Old Lahaina Luau is still one of the best and most popular on the island. They sell out months in advance during the high season.*

This brought back happy memories of traveling to Maui with our kids when they were younger and a trip to the luau was a Hawaiian highlight. The concierge at the Westin told me that the Old Lahaina Luau is still one of the best on the island but get your tickets way in advance—it sells out quickly!

*Dukes is a popular spot for breakfast, lunch and dinner.*

On our last night in Maui, we opted for the extremely popular Duke’s Beach House www.dukesmaui.com since it was just a short walk up the beach from the Nanea. We had booked early in the trip and honestly, my expectations were not high but the food and the service far surpassed what I imagined a place packed with tourists would offer. I had delicious, seared ahi and my husband opted for a huge and tasty burger.

*The ahi was perfectly fresh and seared just right.*

*They make a big, tasty burger at Duke’s Maui.*

They offered us a complimentary Hulu pie—their signature dessert, but we were too full to accept. They also had live music—a treat after being locked down for so long– and they’re right across from the beach so tables close to the esplanade have lovely views. Duke’s serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Make reservations!

*Grilling at the oceanfront condo we rented took the sting out of cooking on vacation.*

After cooking at home for months and months, we found ourselves still cooking on vacation most nights, but the change of scenery made it much more palatable! We stayed in a condo in Kahana our first five nights https://www.vacasa.com/unit/15880 and had a well-equipped kitchen and sparkling clean BBQ grills in the pool area which we used nightly. It was pretty special to grill just feet from the ocean and enjoy our meals on the balcony while whale watching! That’s something we can’t do at home.

*We had rainbows at breakfast, whale watching at lunch, and spectacular sunsets before dinner every night from the balcony at our Hololani rental.*

Our last five nights were at the Westin Nanea, an upscale timeshare on the north end of Ka’anapali. We had a very large two-bedroom unit with an eat-in kitchen and all the amenities we needed. http://marriott.com The pools were busy but the adjacent lawn area and beach were peaceful.

*Both the Westin Nanea and its sister property Ocean Resort Villas further down the beach were buzzing with activity during our stay.*

*We had a fully-equipped kitchen, a dining area plus a balcony with table and chairs at our two-bedroom, two bath villa.*

*There was plenty of room to spread out in our unit at the family-friendly Westin Nanea.*

Dining options on the property were very limited due to Covid but BBQ grills were placed throughout the expansive property so we’d grab a glass of wine and our fish and head down the elevators to cook most nights. We met some lovely people while preparing our meals!

*Guests will find BBQ grills throughout the grounds at the Nanea.*

If you are planning a “self-catering” holiday in Maui where you have a kitchen and/or grill available, be sure to stock up at the Costco near the airport. We got most of the basics, wine, and fantastic fresh fish there. I also picked up a lightweight rain jacket which came in very handy on this trip. You’ll also find chocolate covered macadamia nuts, Hawaiian coffee, and other edible souvenirs at a fraction of the price of the touristy shops around the island. Watch out for the chickens roaming the parking lot!

*These chickens were in Lahaina but their cousins were everywhere– including the Costco parking lot.*

If you don’t have a Costco membership or just want a few things, the Lahaina Safeway will have what you need. We made a trip or two there, as well.

Pick up pies both sweet and savory—it is vacation after all–at Leoda’s Kitchen & Pie Shop in Olowalu https://www.leodas.com. There’s always a line but it goes quickly. The Olowalu Lime and Chocolate Macadamia were my favorites!

*Leoda’s is a popular stop for sweet and savory pies, sandwiches and more.*

*Avoid disappointment and go early or order online! Pies sell out and when they’re gone, they’re gone.*

Right next door is the Olowalu Juice Stand and Farmer’s Market for fresh fruits and vegetables, ice cold coconuts, sweets and more. We watched a Farmer’s Market clerk with a machete make quick work of a coconut, preparing it for a customer in minutes– paper umbrella and all. There’s also a small general store and the Butterfly Farm here.

*Grab one of Olowalu Juice Stand’s tropical smoothies and head next door to the Farmer’s Market where fresh coconuts and pineapples are big sellers.*

*We didn’t go in, but the Butterfly Farm is close to Leoda’s and the Juice Stand in Olowalu.*

After a long year of not traveling, our trip to Maui was just what we needed. It was exciting to be on an airplane again and to spend some time in such a beautiful, tropical paradise—without ever leaving our own country!

*What a wonderful trip after a long year without travel!*

Next up, I’ll share about some of the places we explored in Maui when we weren’t gazing out to sea, watching for whales, and enjoying rainbows!

Note- This article was written in April 2021. Many Covid-related restrictions have changed since that time.

Let’s Eat—Downtown Portland: Departure, Mucca, Andina, Irving St. + Imperial

Portland is known as a food lover’s paradise and for good reason. The Rose City has something for every palate and budget from food trucks to fine dining. Every time we visit, and it’s pretty regularly, the big decision is always where to eat next.

It’s hard to beat the views and ambiance at Departure Lounge on the rooftop at the Nines Hotel.

If the weather is nice and the skies are clear, begin your evening at Departure Restaurant + Lounge on the rooftop at The Nines Hotel. There are splendid views—some of the best in Portland, by our reckoning– to accompany your beverage of choice.

Head upstairs for beautiful views, a lively happy hour and tasty Asian-fusion cuisine.

There are appetizers to order and you can take a peek at their rooftop herb garden. The rooftop is hugely popular so go early or be prepared to stand. Seating is limited but no one seems to mind. Happy Hour takes place every day from 4-6 p.m.

Cheers!

If you’re looking for dinner, as well as drinks, inside Departure you’ll find an Asian- fusion restaurant with good food and attentive service. The menu features a fine assortment of sushi, salads, dim sum, kushiyaki dishes, wok fired items, and chef’s suggestions. They offer lots of small dishes good for sharing, which is what we did. There’s plenty of seafood to choose from, like the wildly popular poke, as well as meat and vegetarian selections.

Order dinner at tables or the bar inside Departure Restaurant + Lounge.

There are plenty of sushi options from traditional to vegetarian rolls available.

The wings in a sweet chili glaze were tasty, as was the steamed short rib bun and the pork shumai. The chili prawns were a little salty and we thought could have used more heat, but flavorful, nonetheless. Crispy Striped Bass was a highlight, served with mango, cashews and a chili lime sauce.

Chicken wings were crispy and delicious.

Chili prawns were perfect for sharing.

Departure Restaurant + Lounge has an interesting wine list with plenty of wines that have been selected to pair perfectly with the food. They also offer a full compliment of cocktails, as well as spirits, beer, saki, teas and interesting sounding “no proof” libations. Knowledgeable staff are happy to help with decision making.

The wine list has lots of fun choices that complement the menu nicely.

Mind your step– you may well feel like you’re aboard an aircraft, especially walking down the long hallway towards the restrooms.

For views, atmosphere, beverages and a bite to eat, it’s hard to beat Departure.

Prepare for a delightful dining experience at Mucca.

If you’re in the mood for delicious Italian cuisine prepared with care and graciously served in a charming, intimate setting, try Mucca.

Enjoy a taste of Italy with a Sicilian flair in Downtown Portland.

The prosciutto and burrata is a great starter and easy to share, as is the insalata barbabietole (beet salad) with ricotta and hazelnuts. Try the excellent scallops with Parmesan fondue, if you’re looking for something richer.

A generous portion of creamy burrata is hiding inside this delicious nest of prosciutto.

The pastas are all terrific (we’ve tried just about every one here), especially the tortelli ai funghi—a beautiful dish of fresh pasta stuffed with mushrooms and ricotta, and topped with asparagus in a light and lovely cream sauce.

The tortelli with mushrooms is a personal favorite at Mucca.

The papparadelle with boar ragu is a hearty dish, full of flavor and reminds us of Tuscany. For an interesting take on risotto, try Mucca’s preparation with elk sausage.

This braised rabbit ragu with olives and pine nuts is typically served with a red beet tagliatelle. Here, we substituted pici pasta for the tagliatelle.

Elk sausage makes Mucca’s risotto delightfully different.

If you have a big appetite, opt for the pork shoulder, which is slow cooked, and falling off the bone. It’s served with creamy polenta. The daily fish special is always a winner, too.

Mucca’s wine list features producers from across Italy from Tuscany to Sicily.

Enjoy a digestivo after your meal. Mucca has many excellent ones to choose from.

With the exception of some French sparklers, the wine list is all Italian, from regions throughout the country from Piemonte to Sardinia. Knowledgeable servers are happy to help with your selections. In our experience, Mucca never disappoints.

Marvelous Andean cuisine awaits at Andina.

If you have a taste for amazing Peruvian cuisine try Andina. You’ll find South American cooking in both traditional and contemporary, or NovoAndean (as they call it here), style at this big, bustling eatery.

We always say “yes, please” to the empanadas at Andina. Both the beef and vegetable versions are terrific.

Empanadas are just one of Andina’s “don’t miss” tapas dishes. Several superb preparations of scallops, shrimp, and other seafood, vegetable dishes, soups and stews, plus cerviches make up the extensive list. There are so many great sounding options it can be overwhelming to choose.

Pimento Piquillo Relleno, stuffed with quinoa, cheese and Serrano ham, makes a very tasty starter.

A classic Tortilla de Papa brings potatoes to a new level.

The tapas are meant to share so be sure to bring friends. That also gives you the chance to try more of their tasty dishes. There have been times when we have selected so many tapas; we could barely eat our entrees, which we would also recommend sharing.

Crunchy, crispy Chicharrones de Langostinos are perfect for sharing.

Among Andina’s entrees, we recommend the lamb shank, which is perfectly prepared and served with traditional accompaniments. It’s a very large portion. The fish dishes are also very good, especially the tuna, which is served with red lentils and a gooseberry sauce. There are numerous vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options here, too.

Quinoa turns up in a number of dishes, including this delightful presentation of Quinoa con Verduras.

Though walk- ins are welcome to dine downstairs or in the busy bar area on a space available basis, if you want a guaranteed table, it’s essential to reserve. You’ll be glad you did.

Another award-winning downtown dinner spot to try.

Named one of Portland’s 2016 Best Restaurants by The Oregonian, Irving Street Kitchen is right down the street from Andina in the Pearl District. Irving Street is going for an “elegant casual” vibe and it seemed to be very of the moment on the Saturday night we dined there.

Everyone seemed to be having a great time at Irving Street Kitchen.

They have a terrific “wines on tap program” so you can sample a bunch of local wines you might not have heard of—we hadn’t– without breaking the bank. There were four whites, six reds and a rose on tap, all from Oregon and Washington, when we visited. In addition to the wines and beers on tap, there are craft cocktails and a nice wine list with lots of choices from the Pacific Northwest.

Sample a few selections from the “on tap” wine program featuring wines from independent producers in Oregon and Washington.

Irving Street has heartier starters like the charcuterie or cheese selections, Manila clams, and meatballs, for example, but we began with salads, which were fresh and crisp. We had the baby lettuces and the Bibb wedge—classics, updated with additions like wildflower Riesling dressing and candied bacon with pecan nibs, respectively.

Decisions, decisions, decisions.

We started with several crisp salads, including the Bibb Wedge shown here.

The double pork chop was superb and enormous, as was the buttermilk fried chicken. Both were extremely satisfying and big enough to share. The carrot butter poached halibut sounded awfully tempting but we went for the salmon this time and weren’t disappointed.

The succulent double pork chop was redolent with a smoky flavor throughout.

Crispy buttermilk fried chicken was a winner.

A peek inside Irving Street’s kitchen.

Irving Street Kitchen is hip and happening so definitely book in. Get one of their curtained booths if you can, or stake out a seat at the buzzy bar. Irving Street Kitchen also serves brunch on weekends and has a Happy Hour.

Another downtown favorite is Chef/Owner Vitaly Paley’s Imperial. This casual and always crowded restaurant has been one of our Portland “go tos” for years.

The award-winning Imperial is popular for good reason.

Though former Top Chef finalist Doug Adams is no longer in the kitchen, his signature fried chicken is still on the menu, served with house-made hot sauce and honey. (Update–Doug’s back in the kitchen in his own place called Bullard’s. Definitely go there and have the Texas chicken. Go hungry- portions are generous!)

The signature fried chicken is a standout!

Though we don’t love paying for bread and butter, the Parker House rolls with Jacobsen Sea Salt are always on our table at Imperial, along with a big basket of their terrific fries.

Imperial’s fries are irresistible. Maybe it’s their “secret sauce.”

The sunflower seed brittle on the kale and vegetable salad makes that one special. The duck meatballs are a terrific starter, too.

Sunflower seed brittle gives this kale salad a satisfying crunch.

The duck meatballs deliver big on taste.

Some of the other “don’t miss” dishes are the barrel planked pork secretto, roasted half chicken, any fish done la plancha-style, and the fried rabbit with bacon, though we haven’t seen that dish on the menu lately.

Perfectly prepared Planked Pork Secretto from Tails & Trotters, is served with a fantastic Romesco sauce.

The grilled halibut is simply delicious.

The wine list features plenty of French selections but Oregon, Washington, and California wines are also well represented. Italian wines, along with craft cocktails, reserve, draft, and bottled beers, and ciders are all on offer.

There are always new and interesting wines to try on Imperial’s list.

Though we missed seeing a few of the friendly faces that always made dining at Imperial a bit more special, we still had a wonderful dinner on our most recent visit. Imperial serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Try their Happy Hour, too– the food is terrific and the prices are a real deal.

These are a few of our downtown favorites in Portland. We’ll be back with more dining recommendations in another post. In the meantime, let us know about your Portland picks!

PDX Hits and Misses: Muscadine, Nonna, and Din Din

Portland has become one of our favorite food cities and we’ve been fortunate to visit frequently over the last few years. There are so many terrific restaurants–we have to force ourselves to branch out from our favorites and give other places a try. That was our goal on our most recent excursion to the Rose City.

Try Muscadine for delicious Southern cooking.

Muscadine

Southern food is enormously popular in Portland, especially when it is as well prepared as it is at Muscadine muscadine. We stopped by for lunch a scant 30 minutes before closing, yet were warmly welcomed. It was a beautiful, sunny day so we opted for one of the picnic benches outside the casual restaurant.

Choose one of Muscadine’s outdoor tables on a sunny day but get there early for the fried chicken!

Sadly, the fried chicken, which we had been anticipating hungrily, was sold out. We had been warned that that could happen to late arrivals. Never the less, there were ample appealing choices on the menu and the four of us settled on several portions of catfish, the salmon croquettes and the BBQ cup.

Muscadine’s tasty BBQ Cup…

The BBQ cup turned out to be a nice big biscuit filled with tender pulled pork in a tasty BBQ sauce topped with cheese and baked in the oven. So delicious, I soon forgot about the chicken.

…delicious, tender pulled pork in a fluffy biscuit.

The catfish had a crunchy, crispy crust and was moist and tender on the inside. It was served with a “come back” sauce much like a traditional home made tartar sauce with a kick—a perfect foil for the fish. The salmon croquettes were flavorful and included two ample croquettes

Crispy catfish, fried okra and crunchy cornbread.

The mains came with three side dishes and there were fourteen to choose from. The sides could also be ordered separately for $4 each. We sampled several–perfect corn bread; fried potatoes; tasty, crispy fried okra (I’m not usually a fan of okra but this was really good); a sweet and sour coleslaw—different but flavorful; extra crispy bacon; braised local squash; grits; and biscuits with excellent preserves and butter. The preserves were great with the cornbread, too, and our server was happy to bring more.

Salmon croquettes, grits, squash and fried okra.

Service was attentive and gracious and though we probably overstayed our welcome, were never rushed– in fact our waitress kept our coffee cups filled right up to the time when we finally pushed ourselves away from the table. We’ll be back for sure.

Nonna

DOC’s casual sister restaurant Nonna.

We were excited to try this casual offering from the popular and well-regarded DOC next door. Nonna nonnapdx has a casual vibe with a large bar area and simple, wooden tables. There is another equally casual dining room just beyond the bar.

Nonna has a large, welcoming bar.

Nonna also has a cozy and charming patio in the back, hung with clothes lines and a few items of clothing that were certainly not going to dry on the rainy Friday evening we dined there. It would be a wonderful place to gather with friends and enjoy some good Italian cooking and a beverage on a pleasant Portland evening.

A small, charming patio would be a great gathering spot in nice weather.

Like many Portland restaurants, Nonna’s menu is locally focused and changes often. We ordered four appetizers to share between the four of us, as suggested by our server. We chose the octopus, polenta, golden beets, and spaghetti with chilies and breadcrumbs. Everything was nicely prepared and presented.

Charred octopus reminded us of Sicily.

The octopus was tender and delicious with a nice char and served with a lemony aioli, olives, peppers and potatoes–just like the octopus we had enjoyed many times in Sicily. This was my favorite of the starters we chose.

Polenta with pesto.

The fried polenta with pesto was tasty, though not terribly exciting. The roasted beets on the other hand were sublime – a beautiful, big bowl of golden beets with walnuts, chevre, mache, with tasty tarragon vinaigrette.

Golden beets received a generous topping of chevre and hazelnuts.

The pasta dish was small but perfect for sharing. The chilies had a nice zip and the breadcrumbs added welcome texture. We did feel that three appetizers would have been sufficient since we had each ordered an entree as well.

Piquant peppers and toasted breadcrumbs made this spaghetti dish special.

We felt dinner was off to a great start and were all happily enjoying our shared plates when halfway through the appetizers, our entrees arrived. We were surprised, especially since the room is so small that anyone who had even glanced at our table could see we were nowhere near ready for our next course. We cannot account for the lack of communication with the kitchen on this score.

With no place on our small table to put them, the server pulled up a smaller table and rather unceremoniously plopped the four main plates down– we commented that we were not ready for the entrees and were in no rush. Our server replied we could eat the mains when we were ready and walked away. We quickly dispatched the appetizers so our main courses wouldn’t be ice cold when we began.

Perfectly prepared halibut was a hit.

There were three main courses or “secondi” to pick from and we selected all of them. Two of us chose the halibut, which was served with wonderful caramelized fennel wedges and grapefruit segments– a great compliment to the fish in both flavor and texture. The halibut was crispy on the top and perfectly tender and moist inside– cooked just right.

Another in our party had the pork chop with the Romesco sauce served with nice bitter broccoli rabe and roasted potatoes — a large plate with a nicely done chop. We shared a bottle of 2014 Domaine de la Fouquettee —a nice Rosé that worked well with everyone’s meal. Two in our party enjoyed local craft beers as well.

The pork chop was perfect.

Our other dining companion chose the enormous burger served with crispy fries and topped with cherry tomatoes, provolone, aioli, and mixed greens– a step up from the usual accompaniments. He pronounced it the perfect burger.

Non-traditional toppings made the burger a standout.

I have to think our dining experience would have been greatly enhanced had the food service been better timed. Several online reviews alluded to service issues. If they can work out this problem, we’d happily return for the delicious and deftly prepared food. In the meantime, we’re adding DOC DOCpdx to our list for next time.

DOC looks inviting.

Din Din

Din Din’s “Supper Party” is held one weekend each month.

We had wanted to try Din Din dindinportland for several years– ever since we had gone in search of brunch one weekend only to find the place closed. Note to self–always call first. We were delighted to secure a reservation for our party of four for their Saturday night Din Din “Super Party”. One weekend each month the restaurant hosts small groups– about 12 to 14 guests at a time, for a fixed price menu, wines included. Dinner begins at 7:30 p.m.

A lovely Rosé got things off to a great start.

We were greeted in the bar area by our hostess, Courtney, who provided us all with a nice glass of Schloss Gobelsburg Cistercien Rosé and a passed appetizer of roasted Persian Star garlic, Silver Queen corn, and Fiore Sardo on pain d’épices. Ours was a festive and friendly group and several of the guests had dined at Din Din before. They raved about their experiences and we were all eagerly anticipating a splendid evening ahead.

Our group was lively and friendly.

Everyone introduced him or herself and we chatted amiably until Courtney directed us to the communal table, set with vintage silver and china, in the center of the casual but charming room.

A beautiful buttercup squash soup started our meal.

Our first course was a delicious buttercup squash soup garnished with a Costata Romanesco zucchini salad. The soup was accompanied by a glass of Chateau d’ Orschwaihr Pinot Gris ’13. We were surprised that the soup was served at room temperature but still enjoyed it very much.

The wine and conversation flowed nicely but the meal sadly did not. There was quite a long gap between the soup and the next course and it became clear that Courtney had to prepare, plate and serve the food singlehandedly. Our fellow guests who had dined at Din Din on other occasions were very surprised that she had no assistance and commented that there were usually two or three people working together on the meal.

Salmon with a Chartreuse sauce was next.

Next up was a lovely  salmon with a Chartreuse romaine sauce and baby carrots, served with a glass of Domaine de Juchepie Anjou sec “Les Monts” ’11. The salmon dish was also served at room temperature, bordering on cold, and it was pretty evident it should not have been. I can imagine that had it been the proper temperature, it would have been delicious. Nonetheless, the conversation continued to be lively, more wine was poured and a helpful guest made sure everyone’s water glasses stayed full.

The meat course would have been delicious had it been hot.

After another lengthy lull, the meat course was served– to half the guests. Finally, we all had our plates– flank steak with a sauce of Melrose pepper Tulsi basil cream, cucumbers and brussel sprouts with lime. I believe this would have been a wonderful dish had it been heated, but the entire entree was cold. The vegetables were still tasty though cold but the meat and sauce suffered badly. This was accompanied by a very good glass of  Domaine de la Bonne Tonne “Les Charmes” Morgon ’13. At this point our fellow guests were assuring us that ours was not the typical experience at Din Din and counseling us to give it another try.

Conversation and wine flowed freely but the meal’s pacing was problematic.

Next up was a crisp salad of simply dressed greens. While we ate our salads, I noticed Courtney in the kitchen quickly slicing fruit. Finally, dessert was served– thinly sliced Seckel pear with Cointreau caramel  and gruyère cheese. Personally, I was disappointed. The sparkling rose—a Foss Marai “RooS” brut rosé NV served with the dessert compensated somewhat– it was delicious and an excellent finish to an uneven and puzzling dining experience.

By the time we had dessert and the final glass of wine it was nearly midnight and our fellow diners began requesting their checks. The party was clearly over and it seemed no one wanted to be the last to leave.

I followed up with Courtney several days after our meal and learned that her colleague, who usually assists in the kitchen, had been taken seriously ill and so she was left to create the Din Din experience alone. With this in mind we’ll give it another try sometime.

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