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.

ACAI BOWL RECIPE W/ 3 TOPPING COMBOS

I've always been a fan of the whole acai/smoothie bowls and love mainly how pretty they look, but the best part is that they're also delicious and so good for you. It seems that these 'bowls' are popping up everywhere, especially in little shops and such but of course the ones that you buy at these stops are a bit pricey. After coming up with my own base mix (which I think is the most important part), you really can't go wrong with any of the toppings you choose. Have fun with it! Play with different fruits, grains, seeds, etc. No topping is wrong. You can make it as healthy as you want or even add a bit of some not so healthy bits to it for an extra yummy treat =)

For my base, I used frozen fruits*, a non sweetened acai smoothi pack*, a frozen banana*, baby greens (spinach mainly)*, and a whole young coconut (water & meat). I took everything together and blended it until smooth.

Tip: Don't add too much liquid since you don't want the base to be too smooth (unless you like it). The frozen ingredients is what's going to be used to thicken your base. Add the coconut water a little at a time in case it is too much.

Toppings: Sprouted buckwheat* (dehydrated), muesli, raw pumpkin seeds*, coconut flakes*, chia seeds*, strawberries*, blueberries*, ripe banana*

These are what I had in hand and I used a variety of these toppings for 3 different types of smoothie bowls

*signifies USDA organic ingredients

Toppings 1: Banana, Blueberries, Sprouted Buckwheat, Pumpkin Seeds, and some Muesli

Toppings 2: Strawberries, Chia Seeds, Coconut Flakes, Blueberries

Toppings 3: Chia Seeds, Coconut Flakes, Muesli, Pumpkin Seeds, Blueberries

You can use this base recipe and from there use any toppings you have to create your beautiful smoothie bowl =) I think these are a fun, healthy, and most importantly, delicious way of getting your breakfast (or small meal) in and you can be as simple or intricate in your mixes both in your base and toppings. I hope this was helpful and provided at least some inspiration for your breakfast needs. Keep in mind that these are perrrrfect for the summer time, especially if you're having a hot summer like us over here in Seattle!

Readers, do you like smoothie bowls? What are your favorite combinations? Let me know!