TILIKUM PLACE CAFE

More food, more food adventures. Today's post will feature the spot my friends and I went to after we went to the new Starbucks Reserve Roastery & Tasting Room. We were hungry and have always wanted to check out Tilikum Place Café and their popular Dutch Babies.

They have a simple menu with different specials for different days. The place is actually really cute and we were lucky there was an open table when we got there. They have a small bar section filled with a variety of wine and spirits and a smaller dining area. This place is supposedly known for their 'Dutch Babies' and they take about 20 minutes to make. We all were intrigued by these items so we each ordered one. I had the Classic Lemon Dutch Baby and my friends both had the Savory Dutch Baby that had chicken confit, roasted apples, and sage.

At first glance, the Dutch Babies looked really good and with the 20 minutes to wait, we thought it was be extra delicious. I liked my classic one way more than they liked theirs. It is basically a egg type batter that is baked slowly with powdered sugar on top. It came with half a lemon that you're supposed to squeeze on top along with some maple syrup. This tasted almost like a thick crepe to me and it was good, but not great. I expected way more from it. My friends Savory Dutch Babies were even MORE disappointing. There was hardly any savory bits to it at all and was basically all egg. If they added cheese into it, I think it would've been even better, or better yet, cheese and some potatoes. However, they didn't so they were left utterly disappointed.

We saw some other dishes delivered to other customers that looked way more appetizing (like their special they had that day of a mushroom bread pudding) and we wished we ordered something else!

I won't say don't come here since I would come again to try some other dishes, but I really don't recommend the Dutch Babies. Perhaps just the classic one or even the sweet one looked promising, but the savory one is a definite no-go. I'd definitely try their dinner or specials if I were to go here next time and give it another shot--hopefully it won't disappoint!

Readers, have you ever tried or heard of 'Dutch Babies'? What are your favorite breakfast dishes? Let me know!

STARBUCKS RESERVE ROASTERY & TASTING ROOM

Last Monday (MLK day), I finally had a chance to check out the new Starbucks Reserve located in the Capitol Hill area of Seattle. This place newly launched last December and I wasn't quite sure what to expect since I didn't want to ruin too much for me.

This place is like the Willy Wonka of coffee. Inside, you can see the workings of a roaster and the steps/process it takes to bring a fresh bean to roasting perfection. There's an upstairs and a downstairs to see the magic at work. This isn't a typical Starbucks either with the same typical menus of frappuccinos and lattes. The menu is much different and specialized to showcase the different types of beans/roasts they have to offer and special ways of serving them. The food selection is also bit different as well with offerings from kale salads to bagel sandwiches.

 

The place was pretty busy for a holiday and I'm glad we got there early (around 10am) since around 11 or so, the place became super crowded! They have a few places for people to sit and enjoy themselves but not as much as I'd like. The whole entrance is filled with different coffee products and accessories to sell to complete your coffee experience. Right inside is a little version of Tom Douglas' famous Serious Pie.

 

Our order didn't take too long to get to us, about a 5 minute wait. I ordered the shakerato bianco. Shakerato is a chilled espresso shot shaken with ice till it foams and the bianco part comes from the sweet cream you add to it. They had samples to give out too and I had a piece of an espresso biscuit. They also offer a small glass of sparkling water to cleanse the palette after.

I'm not too huge into coffee, but since I was going to the Starbucks Reserve, I had to try something out. This one was perfect for me since the coffee itself had a nice chocolate note to it (sorry I forgot the blend) and the sweet cream added to it made it a sweet treat. I would definitely order it again!

 

If you're a Seattlelite, stopping by in town, or a coffee lover in general, I would definitely check out this place at least once. It is totally different than your generic Starbucks coffee shop, plus, there are many great food places to try in this area in general (Melrose Market, Mamnoon, Pie Bar, etc).

 

Readers, do you like Starbucks? What are your favorite items to get from here? Let me know!

 

SUIKA SEATTLE

This past weekend, my friend and I decided to try out this Japanese restaurant located in the Capitol Hill area of Seattle. Suika (Japanese for watermelon) offers a variety of fusion inspired foods with an interesting twist. This spot is hard to miss since it is basically a hole-in-the-wall and there aren't major signs outside indicating its location. However, the inside is nice and cozy featuring a cool collage of old video games and a chandelier made of used sake bottles.

Duck Carpaccio

Negitoro Tartar

Ma-po Rice Cakes

 

Mentaiko Kimchi Udon

Green Tea Crème Brulee

 

The menu wasn't too large or overwhelming and had a good variety of foods. There was offer a special sheet for the day which we also ordered off of.

We went for 3 appetizers/starter dishes: Duck Carpaccio, negitoro tartar, and ma-po rice cakes.

 

Duck Carpaccio: The duck could've been sliced a little bit thinner, but other than that it was great. It wasn't too gamey in flavor and it paired really well with the shiso (a type of perilla/herb) jelly. The added bit of bite from the kaiware (radish sprouts) and green onions also gave the dish a more pleasant experience all around.

 

Negitoro Tartar: Negi (a type of green onion) and toro (Bluefin tuna belly) were added and mixed together in a kimchi marinade over a bed of greens with some citrus yuzu and teriyaki sauce on top. It was served with a side of garlic bread crackers. I really enjoyed this and found all the flavors to mesh well without being to overpowering or too spicy. I just wish that they gave a few more crackers to eat the tartar with.

 

Ma-po Rice Cakes: This was basically a ma-po pork over grilled/baked mocha (rice cakes). The flavoring wasn't spicy enough for a 'ma-po' dish but you could taste the ma-po essence of the dish. The rice cakes were way too thick and definitely felt like you were chewing for forever. I think if the rice cakes were sliced thinner, it would've been easier to eat. I didn't really care for the combination of ma-po and rice cake either and would rather have the rice cakes baked with a traditional shoyu & sugar.

 

 My friend ordered the Hellz Ramen for her main dish and I got to try a bit of it. It wasn't as spicy as the name would indicate and I wish there was actual ox-tail pieces in it. However, the broth was tasty since it was an ox-tail broth so I guess that somewhat makes up for it, for me that is.

 

My main dish was a Mentaiko Kimchi Udon: Most people have udon in a soup broth but this was in a drier style with the mentaiko sauce mixed in which I think I actually prefer. Mentaiko is spicy marinated Pollack roe. The udon was coated with this mentaiko sauce and had chopped bits of kimchi on top with nori (seaweed) flakes and green onion as a garnish. It was definitely a heavier dish but it was exactly what I hope it would be. There was the fishier essence of the fish roe and isn't something I'd recommend for someone not into seafood. The spiciness was just right and the added bits of chopped up kimchi layered in for a nice texture and another layer of flavor. I would recommend this for seafood lovers and anyone that's willing to try a different type of noodle dish! Udon noodles are my one of my favorites so the texture in this dish was very enjoyable.

 

Green Tea Crème Brulee: This dessert is different than your traditional crème brulee despite the fact that it is made with green tea. The brulee part itself was more of a frozen/ice cream type texture yet it still had the crunchy fired/burnt sugar layer on top! The green tea flavor was noticeable and the dish overall wasn't too sweet which is always nice. This was definitely a palette cleanser. There was a nice azuki (red bean) puree sauce to the side that paired nicely with the green tea and also some light whipped cream as well. I loved this little treat and would try this again in a heart beat!

 

I love the ideas behind the different food creations going on here at Suika. Since I'm not drinking alcohol, it may be of interest for those you who do to check out their drink menus. They have a few specials as well that include watermelon which is fitting since Suika in Japanese means watermelon!

If you try to go in without a reservation, be prepared to wait, especially on the weekends. The place can get crowded pretty quickly especially with the small size of the whole restaurant.

I definitely want to come here again to try some other things out for sure. If you're in the Capitol Hill area of Seattle and are craving for some Japanese food, check this place out!

 

 

Readers, do you guys like Japanese food? What are your thoughts on Japanese fusion foods? Let me know!

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

SNACK REVIEW: Grilled Corn flavored Japanese Cheetos

 

Today's snack post features this grilled corn flavored Cheetos I came across. I think it is a sweet grilled corn w/ butter, but since I can't read Japanese, I'm not 100% sure!

 

 

Think of your normal cheesey cheeto, without all the orange, and you have the simple corn snack. Imagine the flavor of a sweet yellow corn, right of the grill, topped with butter--THAT's what you get with this snack. This cheeto definitely captured the flavor of sweet corn really well without being overly sweet or salt.

I'm also a sucker for ALL things that has to do with sweet corn flavor (I like the majority of Asian snacks that are a 'sweet corn' flavor) and this one was no exception. I think this one will resonate more with people since Frito Lay and Cheetos are a very recognizable brand. I found this at my local Japanese grocery store for around $2.69 a bag. If you're by an Asian or Japanese focused grocery store, definitely try to find it and check it out!

 

Readers, have you tried Japanese Cheetos before? What are your favorite Japanese snacks? Let me know!

 

 

RECIPE: Spaghetti Squash Shrimp Salad - Vietnamese Style

 

I want to incorporate more of my favorite recipes into my blog so I will be doing that today! Today's post features this salad recipe my mom and I made awhile back for part of our Christmas dinner meal. We do the usual 'American' dishes (mashed potatoes, turkey, roast, stuffing, etc.) but we always add a little extra something special to the mix! This recipe is a Spaghetti Squash Salad with shrimp and a Vietnamese fish sauce style dressing. If you're a fan of Vietnamese food, check out the recipe after the jump!

Ingredients for Salad

1 Whole Spaghetti Squash

1/2 of an English Cucumber*

Handful of Thai/Red Basil*

Handful of Cilantro*

1 Lb of wild shrimp

Dressing

1/2 cup Fish Sauce (add more or less for personal taste preference)

2 tablespoons Sugar

1-2 Limes

1/2 cup to 1 cup of Water

1 Red Thai chili pepper

*indicated raw ingredients

Directions 

For the shrimp:

I recommend de-vaining the shrimp with the shell on so when you steam them to cook they don't shrink too much in size. After cleaning the shrimp, steam cook them until they turn orange in color. After they are cooked, let them cool down. Then you can shell them and butterfly them in half.

For the salad:

Cut the spaghetti squash in half and bake it in the oven for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Let it cool until you are able to handle the squash. You will then be able to seed out the squash with a spoon and notice the seeds are loosened up and easy to dispose. After the seeds are gone, spoon to scoop out the squash. You will notice the spaghetti like strings coming loose. If you need to, a fork will help loosen the strings up as well. Place aside in a bowl.

Julienne the cucumber and roughly chop the red basil and cilantro.

For the dressing:

In a small pot, add fish sauce, water and sugar over low heat. Stir to make sure sugar is fully dissolved. You can use this time to see if you need more or less of any ingredient, there's not really a precise measurement to this recipe; a lot of it was just by taste. Remove from heat and add the juice of 1 lime. Chop the red chili pepper and add it to the sauce. Again, this is all on personal taste preference so add a little at a time to find the balance you prefer.

In a large bowl, toss all salad ingredients together: squash, cucumbers, herbs and shrimp. Drizzle the dressing into the bowl a little at a time and toss as you go. I would recommend keeping a few slices of shrimp and some cilantro to the side for an added garnish on top and voila, you're done!

I prefer this dish cold so I would recommend chilling it in the fridge an hour before serving. Keep it light on the dressing as you toss since other guests may want more or less. Place the remaining dressing in a bowl along the salad. You can even serve the salad without adding any dressing at all so people have full control of their dressing portion. And enjoy!

Readers, do you like Vietnamese food? What are your favorite Vietnamese dishes? Let me know!