Everest Kitchen.
Shoreline. Wa.

Haven’t had a chance to climb Everest? This, my friends, is the closest Seattle gets. It’s runs in line with my latest favorite hole in the wall eateries, except this one isn’t a hole in the wall.  It’s a building all on it’s own…I think.They have cloth napkins to place prettiliy on your lap.

The triple menu covers a variety of dishes from Tibet, Nepal, and India. The best part? (besides a full tummy) You can eat with your hands! Of course, it’s not required, but the delicious spread definitely allows for some resting silverware. I painstakingly read through the ENTIRE menu and settled for a dhaal dish (pictured above; everything is usually under $15; I think this one might have been under $10). Except it wasn’t settling, like settling for second best just isn’t something you do at Everest Kitchen. Everything at the table was spine-tingling flavourful, but dinner does not overwhelm. Each curry walks the fine line between tongue twisting and tactful. I’ve eaten here twice, and both times everyone at the dinner party left satisfied. For some, this is exotic. For me, this is like comfort food.

If you’re going to get naan, I vote for spinach naan. It’s more moist and fluffy than the garlic kind. The fried rice comes in a heaping portion on the plate.  Some of the dishes are smaller than others, but I don’t know how to tell which is what size.  Go with people, so you can try their food and reach recipies from more than one country. The owners are from Nepal, which is very exciting! They are very thoughtful. They even gave us a “birthday discount” this last time, so the birthday girl ate for free!

Cafe Darclee.
near Seattle Center. Seattle. Wa.

Crepe Marine (pictured above; around $8) and Mango Champagne Crepe (unfortunately no longer on their menu?)

Baseball caps, maps, fanny packs and cameras. Tell me how to spell “tourist.” I’ve been one. And I thoroughly enjoyed it. When travelling exotic places, it’s also nice to be mistaken for a local.  Tourist friends, if you are so compelled to ride up the Space Needle, come back down under and walk across the street to eat. It’s been awhile since I’ve been at Darclee, so my ratings may be a bit fuzzy (like the picture; apologies). If you think I need an update, by all means, invite me for brunch!

You think I’m on a roll with the creperies? Maybe I am. haha. This place serves other stuff too: I’ve been meaning to try their Salmon Bagel ($4) and a Mango-Blueberry Scone ($2.25) sometime.  The menu of more yummies, discount deals of the week, daily soup schedule and all, can be found online: http://www.cafedarclee.com/. Not a bad alternative at all. Did I mention free wi-fi?

Please note that I also haven’t eaten at the top of the Space Needle since my family visited Seattle on summer vacation ten years ago. I distictly remember my horror in discovering I had worn my purple shirt inside out at the fancy restaurant with a rotating center. My parents are AWESOME. Thanks to them, I am now a well-travelled and well-fed little lady. Thank you, Mama and Deddy!

Joey’s
South Lake Union. Seattle. Wa.

Pesto flat bread ($10-ish?)– like a personal pan pizza, but better. I could do without the spicy sauce drizzled on top. I shared this appetizer dish and still felt full after lunch (then again, my companions might not have said the same of their meals).

The large plate of nachos across the table were given a positive review. I don’t know how much that is saying, since the consumer was Belgian. The Blue Cheese Fries (as in, blue cheese crumbles on top of a plate of fries) beside me did not call my name. A generous friend shared some Asian noodle wrapped in lettuce thing. It was nice, but messy finger food. (fyi- I used my fork and knife.) I’d like to try some of Joey’s “real food” (main dishes). Of course, the view of sailboats and the entertaining company of friends make this more than a meal. It’s an experience.

Note: For a light summer lunch, my t-shirt, capris, and sliver wedge heels felt fine among small groups and families dining in the sunshine. If I can afford a next time, I do not plan to be underdressed. (Especially not for a dinner.)

Felipflip, Papy, Chameau – call us if you’re ever in town.

qfc. grocery store. various locations. seattle. wa.

cookies

Desperate times call for desperate measures. I like to say that I bake, as do many of my friends.

“Except when you don’t.

Because, sometimes, you won’t.

I’m sorry to say so

but, sadly, it’s true

that Bang-ups

and Hang-ups

can happen to you.”

- Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You’ll Go!

Dr. Seuss admits the truth. We can’t always do it all. So when I don’t have the time or the energy or the equipment or the supplies or the motivation to bake, I resort to the store. The economic scrutinizer inside drives me away from the specialty bakeries and towards…the grocery store. See? I admit it. You can, too.

On various occassions, usually budget-conscious-wanting-to-be-luxurious ones, I’ve turned to the neighbourhood QFC (the Quality Food Center is a local grocery store). Their cupcakes with frosting on top in the form of intricate flowers got a nod of approval from my in-house cupcake conniseur. For the price, QFC cupcakes are larger than many local cupcakeries. Scones and bakery items don’t get complaints at office meetings. Festive cookies, like those pictured above, are generally crowd-pleasingly moist, but not undercooked. The pies can prove difficult to cut in a fashionable manner.  Then again, it doesn’t matter once it’s in your mouth, right? Small tall cakes (as opposed to the usual flat wide ones) make for an extra special birthday blow-out without breaking the bank. I’m inspired to one day make my cakes look like the ones in the store! The day-old section is worth checking out, too. Run of the mill ain’t bad.

Sunflour Cafe.
between U-district and Sandpoint. Seattle. Wa.

Hearty. In honour of my beautiful friend (pictured above- who could maybe one day live in a house with sunflower everything).  Breakfast at the Sunflour Cafe was a hit before we stepped in the door.  The people of Seattle must have a lot of time on their hands because even mid-morning over half the seats in the cafe were filled (as were many tummies).  Word on Yelp says the service is less than spectacular.  It’s a one-server show, my friends. Either the plates of eggs, bacon/sausage, and potatoes draw a crowd or the  shabby-chic decor does the trick.

Brunch was extravagant in a rustic sort of way. If you blindfolded me, I could picture this menu on a farm or something like Little House on the Praire. What I mean to say is – I personally struggled to clear my plate with a stomach leisurely piled up on potatoes. If you do stop by, walk in hungry.

St. Cloud’s Cafe
Madrona. Seattle. Wa.

Some meetings are kismet. That’s me and St. Cloud’s. It was an icky morning. I missed my bus and a chance at Le Panier downtown. All in a huff, I boarded the next bus and rode it almost to the end of the route.  The story ends well, for I happened upon St. Cloud’s and spent the morning reading on the patio  as the enthusiastic waiter brought me the special of the day. My side of Sour Cream Coffee Cake was mixed up with a biscuit, so I happily consumed both. The coffee cake doesn’t taste a bit like sour cream; it’s just super moist. Eggs any way you like, with choices for sides including the regular sausage or bacon. The hash is as golden brown as they come. Most menu items come with the option of coffee cake or the pastry of the day. I’d vote for the coffee cake. You can also order parfaits and sides à la carte.

I recently went back with a friend on a rainy day. She remarked on the classic diner feel inside. The staff filled water glasses as quickly as I could drink and we both left stuffed. If you happen to be in the neighbourhood, stop by.

note: They’re only open for brunch on weekends. There are two superhero capes near the door in honor of two very active community members. So far I’ve only seen children wear them, but being a superhero at breakfast it looks like fun!

Chaco Canyone Organic Cafe
U-district. Seattle. Wa.

Tea: Hibiscus High ($2)

My current abode does not yet have internet, as a result, recent cafe choices have been driven by a search for wi-fi. I’m not particularly enthralled by the employee music choices (it gets better the longer you sit though) or the plates of alfalfa covered tofu delivered to the table beside me, but it’s convenient. For the wi-fi, it works. If I come again, I’m going to try the London Fog (Earl Grey + steamed milk + vanilla syrup) to compare it to the Starbucks version. The cup of Hibiscus High on my table is just a tad tart for the morning’s mellow mood.

This place remains devoutly vegetarian and organic (as the name denotes: www.chacocanyoncafe.com/ ), as do most of the prices. Get ready for a $5 PBJ. The soup/salad combo hovers in the average range for Seattle ($7.50). It’s Labor Day weekend, and the prices do not seem to deter the crowd.

What I DO like is the mish-mash collection of dishes and random furniture. Cups and saucers match, but various shapes, colours, brands and materials come out of the kitchen in no particular organization. The chairs com in many shapes and sizes; all wood. It give the place a homey feel. The staircase railings even attempt to turn organic with a texture like wood.

editor’s note: the picture above is actually from another part of town, but it’s representative of the atmosphere- and I haven’t seen so many live plants in a cafe before. hehe.

Top pot
Queen Anne. Seattle. Wa
(also available downtown, Capitol Hill, Bellevue, and sometimes your local starbucks)

Nearly every Sunday for a good three to six months, sugary goodness went in my mouth and straight to my sides. My friends usually have a dougnut in hand before I’ve stood nearly long enough at the counter to make my decision. I don’t indulge in Old Fashioned Glazed, Applesauce (not too sweet), Valleygirl Lemon (a gentle take on lemons), or Blueberry doughnuts with such great frequency these days, but those are good memories. Family and friends alike relish (and sometimes request) a Double Trouble (chocolate w/ chocolate glaze), anything with colourful sprinkles, a classic Maple Bar or some other random treat from the giant display case. You don’t have to go every week. In fact, it’ll probably save you a lot of dough (haha, get it?) if you don’t, but since they’re one of the top rated dougnut places in the country, it’s worth a try.

Not in Seattle? (or as my gps likes to say “See-tle” – it rhymes with beattle.) You’re not out of luck. Most Starbucks outlets in the PNW carry at least the Old Fashion Glazed and some kind of chocolate one.

“Say Yes to Top Pot” picture by nasigosong.blogspot.com

Trophy cupcakes. This post is long overdue.

Wallingford (or the new UVillage location). Seattle. Wa.

http://www.trophycupcakes.com/

Pictured above is the staple Red Velvet. With new flavors coming into the spotlight each month, I’ve also enjoyed the Pineapple Upsidedown Cake Cupcake (I like the brown sugar frosting), a Mojito flavored one (lime buttercream on a lime cupcake with a bit of salt on top), and a Hummingbird (rich – requires a cuppa. milk, tea or coffee). Can you tell I’ve been a couple of times? *laugh* Mostly before exams or roommate dessert nights.

Lemon Strawberrry, Lemon, and PBJ are also honorable mentions ($3-4.5 each). Babycakes are popular mini versions that let you try more than one flavor with half the guilt in your gut. The cute decor and fun baked goods inspired cards round out the whole experience. They even stock cupcake toppers for every occassion (graduation, baseball games, ballet recitals, you name it.) and birthday candles that spell “don’t ask.”

Anita’s Crêpes, somewhere in Ballard/Fremont on that main street. Seattle. Wa

The one pictured above is a dessert, but they’re great for lunch/tea/dinner, too. (http://www.anitascrepes.com/home.php)

Wood – as in a tree that was cut into multiple tables. Word of warning: don’t try to move your tables around here, like our French club did when we came in the hordes (aka. a dozen or so) a few months ago. The tables are arranged in order so that the grain lines up when you put them together.  Isn’t that so cool?  It’s so Seattle.

It’s a little on the spendy side for crêpes, but I think I need to go back and refresh my memory. I test salmon crêpes everywhere I go. It’s kind of like my tarte au citron hunt (which completely failed in Seattle). Lemon crêpes can be a bit too light and unfilling for me. 

I digress.  Anita’s. It was good. Eating out with others makes it even more worthwhile so you can sample different parts of the menu.  They have a dessert one with Molly Moon’s Maple Walnut ice cream, so I’m pretty much won over there. 

Words of advice: a weeknight/afternoon visit will help you skip the crowds. It’s one of those nice “dinner for 2 or 4″ places. Pretend the sign on the door isn’t so cheesy and don’t come too hungry.