gem67 "feed me.. =]"

Mercatos is the place to go for classy Italian in Olympia! They have the dark wood and dim lighting to set the mood. Their waitstaff give you ample time to study the menu before offering further explanations. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, their great-tasting food. I didn’t think I could get away with something not Olive Garden in Olympia but I did. Stop by for a well-rounded dining experience if you get the chance!

I’m more of a tea-drinker than anything else (read: coffee) so I was pretty excited when I discovered KOOTS in Lincoln Square. The whole place has a calming effect due to its wood decor and the installation of a tatami mat space, which nearly transports me to the japanese tea ceremony that I study. I like the non-franchise feel, unlike its neighboring cafes, and the fact that they use organic ingredients is a plus.

If you’re new to matcha (thick, frothy, and almost-always bitter green tea), try the matcha soft serve. It’s one of the best I’ve ever tasted. Their hot beverages can be inconsistent in flavor.

Unlike Xuster before me, I had more hot dishes than sushi while dining at Shiro’s. In fact, the closest I came to sushi was the spicy tuna roll, which numbed my tongue (in a good way) whenever I popped one in my mouth. I also had their “poke”, which was tuna chunks topped with green onions and marinated in ponzu (citrus dressing)—this one was unique because I am used to soy sauce and garlic flavored poke . Both were excellent tuna dishes.

Perhaps the reason why I didn’t order sashimi was my delight at seeing dishes that I’d find in restaurants in Japan: kimpira (burdock roots), agedashi tofu (deep-fried tofu in a broth), and mozuku (vinegared seaweed). I wouldn’t say that they’re spectacular, because they’re simply considered home cuisine in Japan, but it felt good to be eating “comfort foods” at Shiro’s.

All in all, I had a good experience from the moment the sushi chefs welcomed us in to the moment the servers arigatou-ed us out. It may be slightly pricey but worth it for the service and quality and authenticity of food.

Next time I’m getting sashimi… =p

I’m such the brat. I think Maekawa is decent by Seattle’s standards but since I’ve been to izakayas in Japan, I give it a three-star. Our waitstaff was friendly but not as attentive as I would’ve liked. As for the food, some dishes are tastier than others but most were not quite on par with Japan’s standards, or just standards of a great dish. That being said, I’d still go back to try out their other items since there’s so much to choose from. Plus it’ll be a fun hang-out with large groups of people (and open till 2am on weekends).

Time to rate the food! Read about the crappy service here

The New Imperial Garden used to be a well-established, high-end Chinese seafood restaurant. Now? A large-scale dim sum joint where the staff seem untrained and the food, mediocre at best. I’ve come here twice now and there always seems to be a list of distasteful service and/or dishes: cold/lukewarm dishes, disgruntled staff, undertrained staff, etc.

Our main complaint this time was the seating. We were placed at a table adjacent to the door that leads to the outdoor garden. We asked to be seated elsewhere immediately but were told that nothing else was available. When, after half a dozen people had passed through the door, we mentioned how our table would probably not be ideal to seat other customers, the staff said that they would seat us somewhere else next time, disregarding the broader view that no customer should have to sit there and endure the cold blast of winter air. On top of that, the door wasn’t even unlocked. Every time someone wanted to re-enter the restaurant, we had to push the door open for them. Not only were we not getting the appropriate service, WE had to serve other customers… Where is the sense in that?

Don’t come here expecting good service. As for the food, there are some decent dishes but most of which I could critique a thing or two on..too bland, too savory, poor presentation, etc.

Nothing is better than a hot bowl of soup noodles on a rainy fall day in Seattle. Than Brothers not only provided a (spacious) safe haven from the gusting wind and rain, their pho warmed me from my fingers to my toes.

At Than Brothers, the menu is simple and straightforward; you can choose between the vegetarian, chicken, meatball, or beef pho (though there are plenty of beef arrangements to make you indecisive). Their broth is pretty good and I was impressed with their tender meat (the beef round steak and brisket).

The best part about it? The price: small is $4.25, regular $4.75. There’s two more sizes but I didn’t look beyond the regular. In any case, you’ll come away with a nice bowl of pho and a free custard-filled puff pastry for no more than six or so dollars. =)

I had happy hour this time. Read my previous review for this restaurant here

I usually don’t have high expectations for franchise restaurants that serve “American” cuisine (burgers, pasta, rotisserie chicken, etc), but Manzana did better than I anticipated. Just so you have an idea, I liked Manzana over Claim Jumper’s.

I liked the presentation of the foods and appreciated the freshness of ingredients. If you know what I mean, the dishes didn’t seem like prototype dishes you’d find at franchise restaurants. That said, it was still a little overpriced in my opinion (I know, I know, it’s Bellevue).

The service was good, though, and I had a good experience. I’d go back to try their $2-$4 Happy Hour appetizers!

There’s a degree of sophistication at Tutta Bella’s. I thought perhaps it was their method of fire-roasting the thin-crusted masterpieces of fresh mozarrella, tomatoes, and other ingredients. Or that, unlike franchise pizza joints, it’s a sit-down restaurant where you can start with a salad and end on dessert and espresso. Turns out, it’s all that and the bonus of a trained owner in the traditional ways of neopolitan pizza production. This is serious business! Tutta Bella is DOC (denominationof control) certified by the Associazione Vera Pizza Napoletana. (Just check the website for “the Tutta Bella story.”)

Back to the food, this was the best pizza I’ve ever had in my life. Their tiramisu was equally fulfilling as it came in a deep, square dish that I could dig out of-the best way to eat tiramisu. =) I’m telling all my friends about this place!

I came back to Perche’no like I said I would. As expected, service was excellent (thanks Amelia) and food was tasty. We got the filet mignon appetizer to share, which was a special that night. The raw beef was thinly sliced and dressed in olive oil, lemon juice, and capers. Words can’t come close to describe how it melts so delicately in your mouth. See if it’s available when you go or else you’d be missing out on one of the most wonderful dishes Perche’no has to offer.

Both entrees my date and I ordered were great as well. He had the sardine angel hair pasta, which had a nice smokey flavor, though a bit on the dry side. And I, braised boar cheeks in some sort of dark sauce with raisins. The boar cheeks came with some pasta in tomato sauce to balance out the richness of the boar meat. It was also one of the most tender meats I’ve ever had.

Again, our server was friendly, helpful, and attentive. She even put up with the guys next to us who were asking if there were “simple” dishes like spaghetti&meatballs and mac n cheese. We ended with some fruity gelato and that wrapped up yet another fabulous night at Perche’no.

If you like Italian and you haven’t been here yet, check out Perche’no. You might just get hooked like me.

Please read my previous review for this restaurant here

Can you say delicioso? Because that’s how everything tasted to me at Perche’no Pasta & Vino. And probably to the rest of Seattle that was at the restaurant that night.

I had just finished lunch 2 hrs prior to dinner at Perche’no, but I managed an appetizer, bites of every other entree my friends ordered, and a share of chocolate lasgna for dessert. My appetizer and the entrees were fabulous-you really can’t beat (apparently) homemade pasta and fresh ingredients-but I felt their desserts were missing the “wow” factor. Everything else honestly tasted as great as it looked and I think any restaurant with an open kitchen is making a strong statement about the food they’re preparing for their guests.

I’d also give props to their waitstaff for being attentive to our large group despite a busy night. When my friend had a question about what went into her dessert, our server came back multiple times until he got every last detail down. Everyone else there seemed equally friendly and happy to be part of the Perche’no staff.

Perche’no is located in the Wallingford/south Greenlake neighborhood and perfect for casual Italian dining with friends, family, or a date. I am so excited to go back to try the other items on their extensive menu!

I initially found it a bit daunting walking up the stairs to what was a funeral home for drinks on a Saturday night. However, the ambiance and my martini-smooth and sweet-changed my mind.

The Chapel is chic/modern with dim lighting, a white-tiled bar, and accompanying white leather seats (they didn’t look too comfortable but i never sat in them). I really like the interior (dark wood with white color scheme) but the music is too loud for decent conversations. My friends and I ended up on the patio and had an enjoyable time sipping drinks outside. Their drinks are excellent! There’s more martini flavors than you can count and an extensive list of every other kind of alcohol (or so it seemed to this 90lb weakling). I also saw some cocktail concoctions that were simply amazing (presentation-wise).

Go and check it out for yourself! Happy Hour martinis (5-8pm every day) are only $4. Beware of the large crowd on weekends!