Restaurant Zoe in Capitol Hill

It was a happy stumbling when we ended up here for family dinner. The initial restaurant we were supposed to go to was closed to the public due to a dinner party so we wandered around until my mom decided on Restaurant Zoe located in the Capitol Hill area in Seattle.

This place has a very nice homey feel to it with an outdoor dining area, a middle of the way atrium dining area and of course inside dining. The feel was very earthy with the abundance of flora growing around and open windows to let in the summer warmth. Even the dishes we tried were very 'green'. These American dishes, for the most part, with a twist (a bit of Asian inspiration I felt) were very fresh with quality ingredients. 

Dinner

1) Willies Green's

2) Gulf Prawn Ceviche

3) Beef Tartare

4) Crispy Tofu

Dessert

5) Affogato

6) Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream (homemade)

7) Greek Yogurt Semifreddo

1) Willie's Greens: This refreshing salad came with mixed greens, Marcona almonds, radish, strawberries, Romano cheese and an apple cider vinaigrette. It was definitely nice and light and had a nice balance of sweet with the strawberries, sour with the vinaigrette, and bit of a spicy bite from the radish. The crunch of the radish and almonds added for a nice texture play.

2) Gulf Prawns Ceviche: This came with tomato, jalapeno, onion, cilantro, avocado semifreddo, black tobiko (flying fish roe) and taro chips. The prawns were so fresh and the different vegetables in it didn't over power the other. The taro chip added for a nice mechanism to eat the ceviche and a nice crunch factor. The added tobiko gave it an Asian flare, if you will, and a nice layer of saltiness to the overall tartness of the dish. 

3) Beef Tartare: The last of the 'starters' and my favorite dish. The beef they used wasn't gamey or had raw smell to it at all and it was beyond fresh. The egg yolk was golden yellow and oozed perfectly with the beef. The decor of the fermented garlic aioli and sweet port gelee paired superbly with the tartare and lavosh. Overall, I could've been happy just eating 2 or 3 of these on my own! Definitely the show stopper of the night.

4) Crispy Tofu: This simple dish with crispy tofu, mushroom duxelle, green lentils (Moroccan spiced sofrito and heirloom summer squash was merely mediocre, in my opinion. There wasn't any wow factor to it and honestly felt a bit overpriced for what you had. For being a 'Main' dish, it definitely did not feel hearty enough to fill anyone completely. The lentils were a bit dry and I just didn't care too much for it. The flavor of the tofu was decent and being called 'crispy' I wish it was more crispy.

5) Affogato: Onto dessert and a classic Affogato with Vanilla Ice Cream and Caffé Vita espresso! This sure had the caffeine kick to it and the espresso was nice and strong! I wouldn't recommend this at night if you had to wake up early since you might not be able to sleep, but if you love coffee then this classic is always a nice way to end a meal. Smooth vanilla and rich espresso just makes the perfect 'sweetened ice coffee' treat.

6) Homemade Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream: This ice cream had the perfect amount of shortcake for a strawberry shortcake ice cream with icey strawberries throughout. It wasn't overly sweet and the nice sugar comb thing (that gold thing sticking out!) was perfectly paired to the ice cream. I'd definitely recommend this one for dessert.

7) Greek Yogurt Semifreddo: With a cucumber melon granita, coconut basically frozen, and honey compressed melon, I would have to say this was probably one of the better desserts I have had in awhile. The Greek yogurt semifreddo wasn't overly tart or sweet and had a nice soft consistency paired with the harder coconut bottom. I loved the compressed melon since it added an extra layer of sweetness to the dish and a strong melon flavor. Definitely unique and full of flavor and texture. I'd highly recommend this one!

This little secret garden of a restaurant in a corner on Capitol Hill is definitely worth checking out. The prices are a bit higher but you are paying for quality ingredients and a wonderful ambiance. I will say that the service was good for the most part, but it did take awhile for us to have our orders taken and it wasn't even that busy inside. Other than that, the food came out in a timely manner and the presentation on everything was artistic and pleasing to the eye. I would definitely come here again, especially if they have a seasonal change in their menu.

Readers, do you like the new take on American foods? Which one of these would you try? Let me know!

NEW PRETZ REVIEW: CHILI SALAD, PIZZA, SWEET CORN, & TOM YUM FLAVORS

New Glico Pretz are introduced to the States and I couldn't be more excited. Today, i'll be quickly discussing four of the flavors I picked up and tried out. Flavors include a Hot Chili Salad, Pizza, Sweet Corn, and Tom Yum flavor. I will say I was most excited about Tom Yum because I had the flavor while I was in Malaysia last summer and I missed it so much! The fact that they introduced the flavor here in the US makes me extra happy and I hope it stays for at least awhile! A breakdown of the flavors will be below after the jump.

Hot Chili Salad -  This had no real flavor distinction just besides the fact that it is spicy. It had a bit of a sour taste to it (like vinegar-ish). The picture on the box makes it look like a salad with meat but there's no meat in the product. I cant really say this had the 'salad' part but I did get the hot chili flavor. I don't think i'd repurchase it again.

Pizza - If not a pizza, I definitely got the whole Italian herb flavor and could taste the cheese, garlic and onion. There's a slight tartness that resembles the tomato/marinara flavor so you could definitely say this tasted like cheese pizza with onion and garlic. The photo shows basil but there's no basil flavor. If anything, this tastes like garlic bread dipped in a marinara sauce and I would repurchase it.

Tom Yum - Like I mentioned before, I'm excited for this one since this is basically the exact same as the Tom Yum pretz I had in Malaysia and I'm so glad they decided to release this flavor into the US market! This hot and sour soup w/ strong lemongrass and lime leaves flavoring is exactly the taste that comes to mind when I want to have some Tom Yum soup! There's even fish sauce, tamarind and other spices to help imitate the flavor and I am loving this so much! It isn't super spicy (which I personally prefer) and it has just the amount of tartness that pleases my palette. I'd highly recommend checking this one out.

Sweet Corn - I'm a fan of sweet corn anything so I was excited to see this flavor released. It had the nice buttery flavor on the biscuit with a nice sweet corn flavor. I could have used a little morn corn flavor myself but I can see the subtle flavor being inviting to most palettes. I'd definitely recommend this one too if you're a fan of sweet corn flavors and I'd definitely buy again.

Each box came with a large pack of pretz. The retail price was around $1.19. I found these at my local Asian grocery store.

Readers, have you tried Pretz before? What flavor would you want to try or what flavors would you recommend?!

Natsu Matsuri 2015 Food Recap

Last weekend was Uwajimaya's Natsu Matsuri, summer festival if you will, and I got to try a lot of the yummy Japanese foods the vendors provided there! It is a great way to sample a lot of items for a fairly cheap price! They want to promote their items and get it out there so the lower pricing helped with that incentive. This will be a quick/food heavy post - be warmed!

Curry tofu stew with white rice with fukujinzuke-a type of red japanese pickled combination of daikon, eggplant, cucumber that is usually paired with curry. For $1 this was definitely worth it and it was tasty too. I've never had curry with tofu and it was a nice change.

Classic karaage-or fried battered fried chicken with sweet chili sauce and spicy mayo. What's not to like about this dish? The sauces worked well with the deep fried chicken and it's especially good while its extra hot. $3 (I think)

Gyoza-or Japanese potstickers. They're a little crunch on the outside with a moist meat filling. Comes with a dipping sauce. Easy to eat and almost everybody likes these! It was $2 for 5 pieces.

Ramen burger for $6. I really wanted to like this and wished it was better, but I'm honestly glad I didn't buy this myself. The noodles had no flavor and would've been better if there was a little more in my opinion. The burger was overly dipped with the sweet teriyaki like sauce. It just wasn't my thing. A bite of this was enough and I was honestly disappointed.

Nothing like a fresh young coconut with the freshest juice. I know coconut water isn't for everybody but i'm glad I love it!

Poke bowls for $5. I'm glad I got to try a little sample of this since Tuna dishes are always a favorite. If you like the mix of raw ahi tuna, soy sauce, onions and ogo with rice, then poke is a must.

Yaki Onigiri-grilled rice ball with salmon flakes. So simple, yet so good! The salmon flakes definitely added a nice flavor element to the rice and the crispy outer parts of the rice added a nice crunch. Definitely a good snack for $2.

Okonomiyaki-a type of Japanese pancake if you will loaded with cabbage and egg topped with Kewpie (Japanese mayo) okonomiyaki sauce, and bonito flakes. If I liked cabbage, I'd probably enjoy this a lot more, but this had way to much cabbage for me. $5

Probably my favorite thing at the festival was this Tonkotsu Ramen-pork broth ramen noodles. For $5 you received a decent portion of noodles, a thick rich broth, a piece or two of pork and onions and other condiments. The broth was flavorful and the noodles were just right, not too soft and not too chewy. 

To cool off, shaved ice is a must! This is actually my friend's but he let me share, of course. He choose a root beer flavoring, loaded it with condensed milk and topped it with mochi (chewy rice balls). This tasted like a root beer float! The only problem with this is that the mochi wasn't soft enough so it had more of a gritty than chewy taste. Shaved ice by itself was $3. Toppings were 50cents each so $4 total.

Another favorite and the last thing I tried was the pork udon! Probably my second favorite dish after the ramen and of course it is noodles again. This one had udon noodles with fatty pork on top, onions, tempura flakes and spicy garlic condiment on top. So fatty but so good! I'll definitely be trying to make this at home myself! $4

There were also other things going on but these are just the few food items I personally tried myself. Don't worry, this wasn't just eaten in one day, it spanned over two! There were also fun games for the kids! I love events like this, especially in the summer time, and especially when there's so much food to go try. I have been going to this festival almost every year, mainly because I work the event, and it is just fun to see a bunch of people gather together and try some new (and old) things!

Readers, have you tried any of these dishes above? Do you like Japanese foods? What are your favorites? Let me know!

BOHO VIBES & LUNCH AT PIZZERIA PULCINELLA

I've never been into maxi skirts but within the last year or so, I've actually been diggin' how easy they are to wear and throw on. I've also been into the whole 'ethereal' thing so this dream catching ying-yang tee and moon and wild symbols on the skirt have been definitely filling in that void.

Best part of this whole outfit is that all of it is super affordable. The shirt is from Nordstrom Rack from the brand Eleven Paris, Skirt is from Target (literally $5!) and the sandals are from Steve Madden ones from Marshalls.. I'm always looking for a good deal and why pay full price when you don't have to?!

Eleven Paris Top - Nordstrom Rack,  Maxi Skirt - Target, Gladiator Sandals - Marshalls

I enjoyed a Caesar salad while my mom had the house salad (I think). It came with some nice and toasty Foccacia bread that also went well with my baked Cannelloni in read sauce (perfect for dipping!). My mom enjoyed the Calzone which was honestly big enough for two separate different small meals. We wanted to see what the espresso was all about so the server made us a Cappuccino, the proper way he said, and it was definitely strong and rich in flavor. The milk was extra foamy which was a nice touch.

This is definitely a great pizza spot that's in the neighborhood. There's parking around the building as well as across the street or by the park that they're right next too. Inside is nice and cozy and you get to see the actual stone oven they bake the pizzas in. I highly recommend coming here and would definitely go back here to try some other pizza dishes!

BLUEBERRY BANANA COCONUT 'NICECREAM' RECIPE

I feel like i'm on a whole 'raw vegan/healthy food' kick and coming up with recipes for the summer has actually been fun. I have more than enough blueberries in the summertime in my backyard so I figured why not use them to make another frozen treat? Especially before all the birds come and eat them up.

Ingredients: 

1) Blueberries - 1 cup*

2)  Frozen bananas - 2 to 3* (make sure to slice them ahead of time)

3) Young coconut - water and meat

*signifies USDA Certified Organic

Directions:

1) Take the blueberries, frozen bananas, and young coconut meat and place into a blender.

2) Pulse blender and slowly add coconut water a little at a time to help mix.

           tip* you want to avoid a smoothie consistency so don't add too much coconut water

3) Blend until thick and smooth. Place in a container and place in freezer for at least 6 hours.

4) Scoop and enjoy!

This is perfect for a hot summer day. It has all the sweetness and creaminess of regular ice cream but without the fatty calories and added sugars. This tastes amazing but is good for you. You can add more or less blueberries or even freeze them ahead of time too. Feel free to add any other berries too such as raspberries or blueberries and play around with the flavor combo!

Readers, have you ever had 'nice' cream before? What other healthy frozen treats have you had? Let me know!

EATING WITH A VIEW: STONE HOUSE CAFE ON RAINIER AVENUE

Lunch: Chicken Fried Steak, French Dip, Corn Beef Hash

A new spot, The Stone House Café recently opened up on Rainier Avenue in the south side of Seattle, right along Lake Washington. I've driven by this area many times and had no idea they turned the stone buildings into a restaurant and bakery! I wasn't sure what to expect when I pulled in but I was definitely pleasantly surprised.

Let's talk about their bakery first. Right next to the restaurant is another small stone house that houses their bakery. The bakery is quaint and definitely homey feeling. Treats inside include red velvet cupcakes, bear claws, croissant donuts, cookies and gluten free options as well! I tried an almond croissant and these pineapple coconut bars and definitely enjoyed them, especially when the baker warmed them up. If my facts are correct, I believe the baker is from Hawaii so of course there's some island influence to the baked goods. I can definitely see myself reading or working while sitting inside the bakery, especially on a nice sunny day.

Now to the restaurant itself. The place provides inside and outdoor seating and you can imagine how nice it is when it doesn't rain. With a cute little bar setup inside to the patio seating, it makes for a comfortable experience when dining. There's also cute little quirky decoration that makes the whole place feel very vintage/rustic, but in a good way. Using mason jars in all sizes to little centerpieces made out of stone, it fits the whole setting very well. Plus its all across the nicest view of Lake Washington for you to enjoy.

 They also have a 'backyard' side that I think they can use for 'special' occasions or more outdoor seating. It's like their own little garden.

I've eaten here twice: once for breakfast and once for lunch. I sat inside the first time for breakfast, but the second time I was able to enjoy my lunch outdoors! Speaking of food, here's a few pictures.

They don't have an incredibly large breakfast menu but what I did order was great. I had the croissant french toast with fresh fruit, a side of bacon and eggs (sides come separate with an additional cost). I thoroughly enjoyed this dish and would have it again and recommend it to french toast lovers.

The second time I went here, I had their lunch (breakfast ends at 11 but 3 of their breakfast dishes carry over including the Chicken Fried Steak) and ordered their Chicken Fried Steak. Above are the pictures of my lunch with a view. If it was about 5 degrees warmer or with blue skies and some sunshine, it would've been even better. This dish comes with eggs and potatoes and a thick gravy sauce. I really liked the sauce and didn't think it was too salty or anything. The chicken fried steak was a bit tough at some parts so I'm not sure if I would order it again, but the potatoes were good and eggs and mixing it all together to eat made it better. My mom had the French Dip w/ salad and she enjoyed it as well. It had melted cheese and onions in it and wasn't too salty but flavorful. My aunt had the Corn Beef Hash and Eggs and enjoyed it as well. The corn beef was cut up in cubes and not overly salty. Her eggs were over easy but it was overcooked just a bit but other than that, she enjoyed it as well.

Overall, I did enjoy both breakfast and lunch here and would definitely come back again to try other dishes or even a drink (or two). I think the location is key and having it be so close and convenient to me gives it an added bonus, especially for the area where there aren't many restaurants around. They are fairly new so service and cook time is a bit slower but the staff are really helpful and friendly so it really isn't a big deal. Prices are decent, not the cheapest but not super expensive either. There's a nice sized parking lot and parking across the street. If you're in the area and want to enjoy some food and drinks with a nice view, I'd say give it a shot, at least once. At least stop by the bakery to try some of their baked goods and enjoy your surroundings.