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| East Meets West (and South) - Kaisho's Thai Fried Chicken and Kimchee Waffles - Photo by Wasabi Prime |
Showing posts with label eastside. Show all posts
Showing posts with label eastside. Show all posts
Monday, April 14, 2014
FoodTrek: Gathering of Flavors at Kaisho
The term kaisho is a Japanese term for a place to meet or gather, but having a chance to further explore the menu at the Bellevue restaurant Kaisho, I would also call it a gathering of various Asian and Western flavors, and having them all meet for a delectable feast. I was doing the very arduous (not arduous) task of food/drink research and had the opportunity to sample several of Kaisho's dishes and cocktails. It was too much flava-flavor to keep all to myself, so I had to share on the blog. So here -- feast with your eyes, then jump in your car and feast with your appetite!
Monday, September 14, 2009
FoodTrek: Wild Ginger with a Hint of Wasabi
In the sage words of 50 Cent: Go shorty, it's your birthday, we gonna party like it's your birthday. Thanks, 50, you maestro of the English lexicon, you. The newly-christened Bellevue Wild Ginger opened its doors for its first night on Saturday at The Bravern, and got to party like it's your birthday to celebrate the birth of a new Eastside dining establishment. Only one word to describe it all: YUM.
Wild Ginger has been a much-celebrated restaurant in Seattle since 2000, serving deliciously fragrant Thai cuisine and an impressive selection of wines. I'm personally a big fan of owners Rick and Ann Yoder's second creation, The Triple Door, located right next door to the downtown Wild Ginger. It has a gorgeous lounge area and a really impressive music theater where I've seen some outstanding performances. Both Wild Ginger and The Triple Door are full-immersion experiences, where you feel like all your senses are truly involved, and I appreciate their attention to that level of engagement while enjoying a meal. When I heard that there would be a Wild Ginger hopping across the Lake Washington pond to be within the radius of the Happy Hour Martini Mafia, I thought, look out Ginger, here we come. Consider yourself forewarned!
I was excited at the prospect of a new locale with a menu I already enjoy, and very pleasantly surprised to be invited to their opening night soiree. It was a treat to get gussied-up on what's normally a pajama and fuzzy slipper night, so with Mr. Wasabi (aka, Brock) in tow, we set out to dine and mingle with the well-dressed gents and ladies of Bellevue and Seattle. I also had the nervous pleasure of introducing myself to writer Lorna Yee and her husband, who were kind enough to say hello back to my crazy babbling self.
Wild Ginger's new space is a mix between industrial and earthy materials. It takes up two floors with dining and lounge areas on both levels. Wandering through the space, we discovered a lot of smaller dining nooks with booths and small tables. When the fever of the new opening subsides, this would make for a really pleasant date locale, having all this small party-of-two seating that's secluded and perfect for making googly-eyes at one another. Exposed ceiling structures and iron railings are softened by slabs of teak and bamboo walls. It's a minimal and neutral interior space, making it an aptly zen canvas to showcase the food. One's eye immediately went to the platters carrying colorful and delicious appetizers. Fried little lumpia-like springrolls, sesame-dotted pinwheels of beef, and my favorite for the evening, seared scallops served in a bamboo cup with a little ruffle of lettuce.
In the dining area downstairs, they had a table displaying massive bamboo steamer baskets full of shredded duck hugged in fluffy steamed buns, and platters of tender skewers of lamb satay, with a savory rich peanut sauce. There were also small bite-sized crab cakes and vegetables in rice wrappers, devoured too quickly for a photo. Small sweet bites of frosted cakes followed, but once afflicted with om-nomming, it's a critical condition, so just believe me when I say it was all tasty and I'm looking forward to returning and being able to revisit some old favorites on the Eastside Wild Ginger's menu.
I had a glass or two of bubbly, but refrained from partying-down, 50 Cent-style. Taking advantage of the empty floors, we wandered about The Bravern and took a photo of the courtyard space that was set aside for the entrance of the party -- the giant fireplaces scattered throughout all the floors are impressive. And toasty. I hope they have s'mores night at The Bravern. Yeah... probably not. We returned home to our party of one, Indy, who was happy to see us and confirm with much interested sniffing that we indeed had some delicious food, before pouting in her bed that we brought back nary a nibble for her.
A gracious thanks to Wild Ginger and The Bravern for throwing this party, and much Wasabi appreciation for being included in the festivities.
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| Wild Ginger heads East! - Photo by Wasabi Prime |
Wild Ginger has been a much-celebrated restaurant in Seattle since 2000, serving deliciously fragrant Thai cuisine and an impressive selection of wines. I'm personally a big fan of owners Rick and Ann Yoder's second creation, The Triple Door, located right next door to the downtown Wild Ginger. It has a gorgeous lounge area and a really impressive music theater where I've seen some outstanding performances. Both Wild Ginger and The Triple Door are full-immersion experiences, where you feel like all your senses are truly involved, and I appreciate their attention to that level of engagement while enjoying a meal. When I heard that there would be a Wild Ginger hopping across the Lake Washington pond to be within the radius of the Happy Hour Martini Mafia, I thought, look out Ginger, here we come. Consider yourself forewarned!
I was excited at the prospect of a new locale with a menu I already enjoy, and very pleasantly surprised to be invited to their opening night soiree. It was a treat to get gussied-up on what's normally a pajama and fuzzy slipper night, so with Mr. Wasabi (aka, Brock) in tow, we set out to dine and mingle with the well-dressed gents and ladies of Bellevue and Seattle. I also had the nervous pleasure of introducing myself to writer Lorna Yee and her husband, who were kind enough to say hello back to my crazy babbling self.
 |
| Martini Mafia, target acquired, commence happy hour-ing. - Photo by Wasabi Prime |
Wild Ginger's new space is a mix between industrial and earthy materials. It takes up two floors with dining and lounge areas on both levels. Wandering through the space, we discovered a lot of smaller dining nooks with booths and small tables. When the fever of the new opening subsides, this would make for a really pleasant date locale, having all this small party-of-two seating that's secluded and perfect for making googly-eyes at one another. Exposed ceiling structures and iron railings are softened by slabs of teak and bamboo walls. It's a minimal and neutral interior space, making it an aptly zen canvas to showcase the food. One's eye immediately went to the platters carrying colorful and delicious appetizers. Fried little lumpia-like springrolls, sesame-dotted pinwheels of beef, and my favorite for the evening, seared scallops served in a bamboo cup with a little ruffle of lettuce.
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| View from above and tasty nibbles, up close and personal. - Photos by Wasabi Prime |
In the dining area downstairs, they had a table displaying massive bamboo steamer baskets full of shredded duck hugged in fluffy steamed buns, and platters of tender skewers of lamb satay, with a savory rich peanut sauce. There were also small bite-sized crab cakes and vegetables in rice wrappers, devoured too quickly for a photo. Small sweet bites of frosted cakes followed, but once afflicted with om-nomming, it's a critical condition, so just believe me when I say it was all tasty and I'm looking forward to returning and being able to revisit some old favorites on the Eastside Wild Ginger's menu.
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| We left before we turned into a pumpkin. Hey, it happens. - Photos by Wasabi Prime |
I had a glass or two of bubbly, but refrained from partying-down, 50 Cent-style. Taking advantage of the empty floors, we wandered about The Bravern and took a photo of the courtyard space that was set aside for the entrance of the party -- the giant fireplaces scattered throughout all the floors are impressive. And toasty. I hope they have s'mores night at The Bravern. Yeah... probably not. We returned home to our party of one, Indy, who was happy to see us and confirm with much interested sniffing that we indeed had some delicious food, before pouting in her bed that we brought back nary a nibble for her.
A gracious thanks to Wild Ginger and The Bravern for throwing this party, and much Wasabi appreciation for being included in the festivities.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
FoodTrek: BlueC Sells Sushi by the BellSquare Mall
I'll be the first to admit, I'm kind of a crappy Asian. I suck at using chopsticks, our household cutback of starches and carbs have limited my rice and noodle intake, and I've never been a big seafood eater. But I make strides where I can -- I'm working on my weirdo seafood pickiness, as there's really no need to eschew the bounty from Neptune's kingdom. An easy way of doing this is to have sushi, and lots of it. Bellevue's Blue C Sushi is up to the task.
I did have to post a picture from their website. It's funny and I kind of had to wonder if this is what people really think Japan is like, with uptight businessmen and a one-woman Sailor Moon brigade to lighten the mood. Perhaps Blue C Sushi is simply the Japan people wish it could be, with rotating trains of freshly-made food, bizarre game shows, and giggly schoolgirls of questionable legal age. All I know is, I need to go back and get one of those pink eyepatch bunny toys.
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At least they were honest and spelled crab with a "k" for their California Rolls - Photo by Wasabi Prime |
Blue C is a kaiten style sushi restaurant, serving its bite-sized om-noms on a conveyor belt that roves around the main dining area. This isn't an unusual thing, as there are plenty of kaiten sushi places all over Seattle and the Eastside, but they want to distinguish themselves as serving quality cuts of fish without being unfriendly to one's wallet, which I can appreciate. Their color-coded plates range in price from $1.50-$3 for the warm bright colors, to $3.50-$5.25 for their range of cooler hues. Each plate tends to have two to six pieces of sushi or other items, so going with friends, it makes for easy sharing and a nice way to try something before deciding it's worth a second helping. I have yet to visit them for their happy hour, where they have special prices on drinks and some of their "blue plate" offerings like sashimi, but I'm very keen on returning after work to celebrate their saying of "skip work, eat sushi" on their website. Amen, my Asian bretheren.
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| All aboard the Blue C Express -- next stop, your belly - Photos by Wasabi Prime |
On this lunchtime jaunt, we sampled a wide range of things, both raw and cooked. Even if you're not so much with the appreciation of raw food, they had options like cucumber rolls, vegetable tempura, and pork tonkatsu. Of course the cooked items are often times fried, but it's just one small bite... can't hurt, right? I particularly liked the sake and maguro nigiri (raw salmon and tuna slices on a small wedge of rice); it's a nice clean way of enjoying the fish. I also liked the sashimi style cuts of maguro that were hovering around on the conveyor belt. A little smear of wasabi paste, a bit of pickled ginger, and whooosh go my sinuses into instant clarity. It's funny how eating raw fish can be more appealing than having it cooked for timid seafood eaters like myself. Since the application of heat can bring out the oils within the fish, the raw state keeps the fishiness down to a minimum, and all you should really taste is a kind of cold, freshness of the sea.
There's the added enjoyment of the fact that Blue C has a bit of a sense of humor. They know they're not in Japan, there's no tatami mats or sliding paper screen doors. There's fun urban-inspired artwork on the walls, and in the upstairs lounge area, they have TVs showing insane, disturbing Japanese game shows. This is a place that celebrates Japan in all its delightful weirdness, and that's Banzai-worthy, I think.
They also had desserts -- I saw some lovely creampuffs riding the food train past our table, but I respectfully declined. I know French pastries are incredibly popular in Japan, but I haven't quite bridged the gap between getting a sushi fix and then biting into a custard-filled pastry. I also saw what looked like toys on the conveyor belt. Like if your kid is getting unruly, buy him a pastry and a robot, all in one place.
I like what they're doing at Blue C Sushi -- it's fast, they keep it fresh, and you don't have to spend a small fortune to have a good meal right in the heart of downtown Bellevue. Because it's right by a big multiplex theater, it's an ideal place to eat something somewhat healthy before giving in to the temptation of a bucket of fake butter. I don't think Blue C could keep me from a box of frozen Junior Mints, though...
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| Sushi makes you giggle like a Japanese school girl. Ribbons mandatory. - Photo from Blue C website |
I did have to post a picture from their website. It's funny and I kind of had to wonder if this is what people really think Japan is like, with uptight businessmen and a one-woman Sailor Moon brigade to lighten the mood. Perhaps Blue C Sushi is simply the Japan people wish it could be, with rotating trains of freshly-made food, bizarre game shows, and giggly schoolgirls of questionable legal age. All I know is, I need to go back and get one of those pink eyepatch bunny toys.
* Post-Script - Domo aplenty to Serious Eats' Photograzing for posting the photo of the California Roll on their site!
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Happy Hour Haunt: To Naga, With Love
Suffering Bastard, Corpse Reviver, Artillerymen's Punch, Coral Dove -- no, we didn't hit Emerald Downs to watch the ponies after work on a lazy summer evening. These are a small sample of the unique anthology of cocktails on Chantanee's drink menu. The Prime has covered the newly-relocated Bellevue Thai favorite in older blog entries, but the highly-touted bar area, Naga, had not yet been christened by the entity that is the Happy Hour Martini Mafia. The whole gang was unfortunately not able to convene, but we few, we happy few (yours truly, GGirl, and Mr. S), met for a short spell to sample this Eastside oasis and see if the buzz surrounding Naga was worth the hullabaloo. No need to wait for a dramatic pause, I believe we have reason to raise a glass in celebration, for we have a winner. Please pass the spiced nuts.
Naga's happy hour runs the standard 4pm to 6pm, and it offers a recession-friendly discount on its impressive menu of signature cocktails, so instead of going for a typical brewski after workski, give one of these refreshing little dittys a try. These aren't syrupy, overly-fruity affairs with oversugared rims in unnatural Crayola colors. I had the pleasure of experiencing the Kaffir Fling, a drink created by Canadian bartender David Wolowidnyk in ye olde year of 2007 -- they include the drink's provenance on the menu. Booze and a history lesson -- shazam! A mix of vodka and lime with a hint of sweetness, this simple sour is topped with a frothy head of egg white and a sprinkle of ginger spice, with a fresh kaffir lime leaf nestled in the cloudy foam. These are no mere drinks, they are libations.
In the swirling sea of cosmo-poma-tini-whatevers that swarm most bar menus, it's a rare blessing to enjoy something made with such deliberate care, as they possess a nuance and layering of flavors that are as interesting to the palate as a gourmet meal. The bartender was extremely knowledgeable in the many glittering bottles of liqueurs, spirits, and other potables within the bar's liquid library. There were many drinks being sampled, from the more familiar mojito, to obscure variations on an herbaceous julep. Among the display of bottled bitters, there was one pear-shaped flagon of murky amber liquid that had a cobra, entwined with another small snake within the bottle's glass belly. Yes, for reals. We skipped a taste of that one, but we sampled a photo or two -- apologies for the seemingly drunken focus. A digital SLR, a digital SLR -- my kingdom for a DSLR!
Not to forget the solids to go with the liquids, the Martini Mafia sampled the nibble-worthy Sundried Pork and Beef and Thai Spiced Mixed Nuts from Naga's bar menu, and then indulged with the Crispy Garlic Chicken and some fried rice from their dining menu.
Chantanee was wise to bring in the wisdom of mixologist Andrew Bohrer to bless the Eastside with an amazing offering of drinks that I have never heard of, but want to get to know better. He also has an impressive blog, Caskstrength, which goes into great detail over the artistry and philosophy of life behind the bar. Cheers to Mr. Bohrer, Chantanee and Naga, as well as my Martini Mafiosos who could make it out for the night!
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| Jules from Pulp Fiction would agree, this is one tasty beverage - photo by Wasabi Prime |
Naga's happy hour runs the standard 4pm to 6pm, and it offers a recession-friendly discount on its impressive menu of signature cocktails, so instead of going for a typical brewski after workski, give one of these refreshing little dittys a try. These aren't syrupy, overly-fruity affairs with oversugared rims in unnatural Crayola colors. I had the pleasure of experiencing the Kaffir Fling, a drink created by Canadian bartender David Wolowidnyk in ye olde year of 2007 -- they include the drink's provenance on the menu. Booze and a history lesson -- shazam! A mix of vodka and lime with a hint of sweetness, this simple sour is topped with a frothy head of egg white and a sprinkle of ginger spice, with a fresh kaffir lime leaf nestled in the cloudy foam. These are no mere drinks, they are libations.
 |
| Eat, drink, be merry, and then drink some more - Photos by Wasabi Prime |
In the swirling sea of cosmo-poma-tini-whatevers that swarm most bar menus, it's a rare blessing to enjoy something made with such deliberate care, as they possess a nuance and layering of flavors that are as interesting to the palate as a gourmet meal. The bartender was extremely knowledgeable in the many glittering bottles of liqueurs, spirits, and other potables within the bar's liquid library. There were many drinks being sampled, from the more familiar mojito, to obscure variations on an herbaceous julep. Among the display of bottled bitters, there was one pear-shaped flagon of murky amber liquid that had a cobra, entwined with another small snake within the bottle's glass belly. Yes, for reals. We skipped a taste of that one, but we sampled a photo or two -- apologies for the seemingly drunken focus. A digital SLR, a digital SLR -- my kingdom for a DSLR!
Not to forget the solids to go with the liquids, the Martini Mafia sampled the nibble-worthy Sundried Pork and Beef and Thai Spiced Mixed Nuts from Naga's bar menu, and then indulged with the Crispy Garlic Chicken and some fried rice from their dining menu.
 |
| Yes, that's really a snake in a bottle. And yes, that's really chicken on the plate - Photos by Wasabi Prime |
Chantanee was wise to bring in the wisdom of mixologist Andrew Bohrer to bless the Eastside with an amazing offering of drinks that I have never heard of, but want to get to know better. He also has an impressive blog, Caskstrength, which goes into great detail over the artistry and philosophy of life behind the bar. Cheers to Mr. Bohrer, Chantanee and Naga, as well as my Martini Mafiosos who could make it out for the night!
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