PIKE PLACE AFTERNOON

Had some family in town and of course the touristy thing to do is to take them to Downtown Seattle and the ever-so-popular Pike Place Market! Here are just a couple shots from the day--enjoy! =)

         

        

        

 

        

 

Of course we ate a lot too. Some Samosas and mango juice from Saffron Spice.... and then of course some of the popular mini donuts from Daily Dozen.. sampling along the way, we found ourselves and my favorite French Bakery at Le Panier and had some pistachio eclairs, macarons and of course my favorite feuilletes (puff pastry), a champignons (mushrooms in cream sauce). We walked a little further, more sampling, then made a pit stop at Piroshky Piroshky Bakery for some piroshkies and borscht (Russian beet soup). 

 

It was nice day out so my uncle was able to take some awesome shots of the market. No matter how much of a 'tourist attraction' Pike Place Market is, I still love going down there and enjoying all the fun colors and wonderful food! If you are ever in the Seattle area, this is a must-stop spot!

 

 

CHUPA CHUPS GUMMY

I haven't done a review on candies in awhile and I figured this was the perfect time too since I hauled a bunch of new Japanese candies! I've always been a fan of those little Chupa Chups lollipops and didn't know this popular Spanish brand of candy found its way into Japan!

 

Almost any type of candy or snack that comes from Japan always has a 'kawaii' aka cute factor to it with the packaging to match. This take on the classic Chupa Chups lollipops is taken into gummy form with three flavors. I can't read Japanese, and the flavors weren't exactly the most distinct, but from the pictures on the packaging, the flavors are: grape, cherry, and ramune/soda.

 

The gummies are in little lollipop shapes coated with a sour sugar dusting. The gummies themselves are pretty firm/chewy, more so than your average gummy but not in a stale way. These definitely don't remind me of the original lollipops anymore after I tasted them.

 

It is for sure a fun candy to try out and it is nice that the bag is able to be resealed so you don't have to finish it all in one setting. This candy is a bit pricey at around $3.79 for the bag, but if you're into confections like me, I'd definitely give it a try if you can find it!

 

Readers, have you had Chupa Chups before? Would you ever try Chupa Chup gummies? Let me know!

 

TRAY KITCHEN: KOREAN COMFORT FOOD W/ A TWIST

A few weekends ago, my friends and I went to the Fremont/Ballard area to have our usual food adventures. With the help of Yelp, we came across this place called Tray Kitchen which is a bit of a Korean fusion twist in a comfort food sort of way.

 

        

 

We went for their brunch and quite enjoyed their food. The menu is small but with enough variety so you have a few options to choose from. We didn't do the congee bar (sorry, but it's just too overpriced for congee and having a mom who makes excellent congee, or going closer to home (Chinatown) to get a bowl for less than half the price!) but we did snack on some of the condiments they served (probably weren't supposed to do that, but oops!)

 

I had the K.F.C. grain bowls - I had too! K.F.C are also my initials apart from it being Korean Fried Chicken. The chicken was nice and moist with a crunch on the outside topped with a not too spicy chili sauce. The fried egg on top was perfect and the cucumber kimchi added a nice coolness to the dish and crunchy texture. This take on a bi bim bap style rice dish was nicely done and I really enjoyed it. I could have gone a little lighter on the sauce, but that's just personal preference.

 

One of my friends had the Kimchi & Pork belly pancake and it was really good as well. It was extra crispy and thicker than your usual pajun/pajeon (Korean pancake). My other friend tried the Loco Moco and I really liked how they breaded it! It had a non-traditional corn flake coating to add to the extra layer of crunch.

 

The dishes were smaller than what we expected, especially for the price, but surprisingly, it was very filling for the size. We went on a Saturday afternoon around 1pm and surprisingly again, it wasn't crowded or busy at all especially considering the place being a little small (but comfortable and not crowded feeling). I would definitely go back to try out their dinner menu, especially if I'm headed to that area in the first place. The parking in front is limited, but there is plenty of street parking available around the block. The service was good, though the waitress was a bit awkward at times and forgetful, but maybe she was new? Our food came out in a timely manner and I love how there's an open kitchen so you can really see what is going on.

 

If you're into Asian comfort foods with a little bit of a twist, then definitely check this place out. It's close to the busy Ballard and Fremont areas if you plan on hanging out or getting drinks or dessert after so everything is really convenient!

 

Readers, have you tried different Asian comfort foods? What is your favorite comfort food? Let me know!

 

 

 

FEBRUARY NATURE BOX

Another month passing by means another Nature Box review! I'm happy to say that I was completely happy with my entire box this month. Nothing was out of stock and replaced and each item tasted great.

Mini Belgium Waffles - These little bite sized Belgium waffles tasted exactly like one's I've had before but less sweet, which I liked. They were a bit harder/crunchier than an actual waffle and more like a softer cookie in texture which also made for a fun snack.

Blueberry Greek Yogurt Pretzels - These ones had a slight blueberry flavor to them and I found myself liking them more than the Strawberry ones I had previously. If the blueberry flavor was any stronger, I think I would have been put off, but these were great and not overly sweet.

Asiago & Cheddar Cheese Crisps - These were probably my favorite snack out of the bunch. I love the cheese flavors coming through and it was almost as if I was eating baked crispy cheese bits without any cracker to it. It wasn't too salty at all and just right. I'm glad these came in a bigger bag!

Parmesan Garlic Pop Pops - Another savory snack that had an explosion of flavoring. I love pop pops in general and love the texture of half popped popcorn. This flavor combo was great and definitely left your breath garlicky. It can be a bit salty for some, especially towards the bottom were the seasoning lies, but it was still delicious.

Mini Medjools - simple and delicious. I love dates, especially medjool dates and found these to be a perfect sweet treat! I didn't think they were particularly 'mini' but that didn't bother me, it actually made it even better. The only thing that'd make it better is if they came seedless!

As mentioned before, this was definitely one of my favorite boxes and in my next box and will definitely be reordering some of these soon! 

Readers, have you guys tried Nature Box yet? Any snack in particular that is your favorite? Let me know!

JANUARY NATURE BOX REVIEW

Another month flying by means another Nature Box review to come! This month I wanted to try to stay away from the fruit snack type items and venture a little outside of my box.

 

Mango Almond Bites - I was really disappointed in these snacks. I imagined to be more like a rice cake but the puffed rice in these reminded me of a Korean puffed rice snack. I could barely taste the mango in them and they just weren't my cup of tea. I can definitely see some people liking this snack, but for me, I just didn't really care for it.

 

Dark Cocoa Almonds -  You can't go wrong with chocolate covered almonds. The weird white powdery coating on the outside had me a bit concerned, but I looked past it. These tasted good and the dark chocolate wasn't overly sweet. The only negative I have to say about this is just about how small these were! I've tried a lot of chocolate covered almonds in the past but these by far had the smallest almonds coated and I was hoping they would be a bit larger in size.

 

Strawberry Greek Yogurt Pretzels - I tried this snack because of @Hollyannaeree. I couldn't remember her exact details on them but I knew she said it was her favorite. These weren't bad but they aren't the best things I've ever had. The strawberry flavor is barely there so it is more just like a yogurt pretzel that reminds of the Harry & David ones.  I probably wouldn't try these again and maybe try another yogurt flavor out. I do like that they weren't overly sweet like some other yogurt covered snacks out there.

 

Sriracha Pop Pops - I absolutely loved these! I loved the whole half popped pop corn kernels and the sriracha flavor in these were just right to my liking. They weren't overly spicy, had the right amount of salt and vinegar mix and just made a nice combo. I would definitely try these ones out again and suggest it for anyone who is into savory snacks with a little spice.

 

Golden Apple Tea Biscuits - Here's another item Nature Box sent me to replace something they had out of stock. I still  wish there was a way Nature Box could inform customers of this happening so they can choose something they actually want. Last month they sent me lemon tea biscuits and they chose to send me biscuits again. Luckily for them, I ended up liking these a lot more than I thought I would and I really enjoyed the dry chewy apple bits actually inside the biscuit. I had them with a nice hot cup of tea and it paired nicely.

 

Readers, have you tried NatureBox yet? Do you like sweet or savory snacks? Let me know!

 

 

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!