Michael "Uhockey" U.'s Profile

Full review blogged.  Specific dishes below.

Beginning with a plate entitled "Shrimp, Bulgur, Kale, Dukkah, Raisin Vinaigrette Salad" - a plate that we actually ordered only after we saw it coming across the counter en route for another table, but a plate that for myself would be one of the best of the afternoon.  Beginning first with the kale-some crispy and some raw but both an excellent foil to the tender snappy shrimp I was first surprised by the bitterness of this dish, but moving forward I found its balance in the toothsome bulgur heavily scented with nuts, sesame, cumin, paprika, and pepper.  A nicely balanced medley on its own, the final addition of a nearly plum-wine flavored dressing added just the right touch of sweetness and a touch helping to smooth out the rough spots in a manner that had everyone at the table interested in what would be next.

With cooked dishes comprising the rest of our lunch, "Albacore tuna, King Oyster mushroom, Escarole Rice with Egg Yolk" would follow next and though I generally would have opted for one of the other rice bowls this actually turned out to be another resounding success even with the less adventurous at the table as the pearly white rice gracefully topped with seared and blackened tuna, pan tossed softened escarole mixed with woodsy mushrooms, and a serving of house made Kimchi plus a single egg yolk that had been resting in a container of soy.  Clearly unable to "separate" the flavors in such a bowl and instead opting to mix before serving I actually loved the way in which the flavors served to compliment and soften one another-particularly how the kimchi and mushroom/escarole combination worked to be neither too acidic nor too vegetal-while the egg yolk helped to make up for a bit of overcooking on the part of the tuna.

Our third dish would be the only lackluster option of the afternoon, a plate of "Pork belly, Kimchi, Bean Sprout pancake" that although savory and spicy enough really did not do much for me in part due to the chewy texture of the pork and in part due to the grease factor that although expected proved overwhelming to the subtleties of the sprouts and swine leaving only the vinegar tones of the kimchi in a nearly deep-fried lingering note.  Overall a definite miss for my tastes although admittedly a fun item to test out the four sauces...the hottest of which required just about 8oz of water and a few bites of leftover white rice to quell.

Moving next to a pair of dumplings, clearly a "sharing" sort of dish with five nicely wrapped pockets each our selections would include "Shrimp and bacon, pickled ginger, cilantro" and "Cauliflower ricotta, black sesame truffle, pickled leek" - both exemplary, packed by hand as we watched, and with a light sear on the exterior giving way to a delicate interior with great texture and balanced flavor, particularly in the case of the cauliflower ricotta-a creamy yet mildly vegetal concoction with savory undertones and the heady aromatics of black truffle coming through on the finish.

Moving to our final plate, the best of the afternoon, "Dungeness crab, Seaweed noodle, spicy red curry, crème fraiche" would prove to be a dynamic flavor profile with sweet and tangy in a delicate balance while the heat of the red curry was only faintly detectable on the tip of the tongue.  Surprisingly selected by my mother who doesn't fancy curry in general it was Antoinette's suggestion that this was a "mild" heat and her advice was thankfully well received.  A large portion and plenty filling in addition to the rice, bulgur, and sprouts this dish went a long way with everyone having plenty and although the crab was largely gone by the bottom of the bowl I particularly loved the last few bites where the house made pasta with just a bit of texture and brine from the seaweed was absolutely swimming in the tangy crème fraiche and sweet juice from the crustacean.

With six shared savories surprisingly filling largely in part to the hefty amounts of carbohydrates and with more substantial dining plans as yet to come Antoinette stopped by and complimented our clean plates as only some of white rice from the bowl remained and inquiring if we would like to try desserts - stressing that they are *small but delicious* - we gave in to the suggestion opting to order two, a pair of Mint snowballs and a pair of Chestnut kumquat crescents, each plate $4 and both familiar...shockingly quite like the traditional Christmas cookie recipes handed down by my grandmother for Russian Tea Balls (in this case with added mint) and Hungarian Apricot cookies with the kumquat nearly indistinguishable from apricot in the golden buttery pastry.

While certainly not "authentic" or "down n' dirty" like many prefer their ethnic cuisines I can say without a doubt that Revel is a spot worth visiting in Seattle both for the quality of the food and the quality of the service - factors that "foodies," gourmands, and even the most finicky eaters can appreciate.

Went in with low expectations, came out having seen one hell of a show by Los Campesinos!  Surprisingly well controlled crowed, nice and cool, no ridiculous bathroom lines, and overall a really nice job mixing.

Full review in the blog - one of the best Italian restaurants in the United States.

Highlight dishes:
The Hand cut Tajarin with butter and sage would prove to be every bit worth the substantial hype, no small feat for something as simple as butter, noodles, salt, and a few leaves of crispy sage.  Impossibly light, literally melting in the mouth particularly when saturated in so much butter, and just a touch of seasoning - it reminded me all at once of my childhood love of simple butter and noodles and some of the best angel-hair pasta dishes I have ever had.  While I was glad my aunt ordered it so I could try other things there was also a part of me that wanted to steal the plate - yes, steal buttered noodles - or at least order a serving of my own.

"Uovo con fonduta al tartufo nero" paired three things I love into a single warm jar; a poached egg, black truffles, and creamy fontina cheese.  Again seemingly focused on simplicity and purity of flavors this dish would prove to be another great success even before I took a bite as a simple flip of the latch permeated the air with the smell of butter and truffles and once this effect was fully appreciated I moved on to taking a bite, the buttery "fonduta" melding seamlessly with the creamy egg while the truffle notes filled the palate.  A lovely dish and for all intents and purposes a texture somewhere between a soup and a spread my only regret was that it arrived with another hot item because otherwise I'd have savored it with about a half of a loaf of bread.

Pig Trotters with tangerine, lentils, stewed winter greens, and foie gras butter would prove to be a tasty and well composed dish nearly opposite the egg in every conceivable way.  Beginning first with the feet - two were served in total and each was hemisected, breaded, fried, and intensely porky and succulent with notes of sage and rosemary detectable in the light coating.  Moving next to the accoutrements, the lentils were presented as a toothsome admixture that although slightly undercooked for my taste proved to be a nutty foil to the pork while the light gravy of melted foie gras presented the liver's trademark sapor while two sections of citrus and a twist of their juice helped to offset an otherwise hearty winter plate a few degrees towards the warmer seasons.

"Baba di meyer limoncello" would prove every bit as lovely as I'd hoped and next to Del Corso's Quince and Polenta cake (enjoyed only earlier that night) it would prove to be the second best dessert of the trip.  Beginning first with the baba, in this case a steamed cake with a lot of density but large open pockets not unlike a popover, the limoncello soaked pastry was exemplary in texture while the booze was admirably balanced by the smooth citrus sweet meyer lemon cream.  Already impressive but not yet ready for prime as it were, a final addition to this plate was made tableside as a drizzle of warm cardamom flower honey was added providing not only a mild fructose sweetness but also a lovely floral note that lingered on the finish.

Skip the outrageously overpriced Capilano Suspension Bridge and visit the dam.  Peaceful and not loaded with tourists, plenty of green space and room to hike, run, or just take in nature - and best of all both the dam and the parking is absolutely free.

Potentially the most overpriced tourist attraction in all of Vancouver, particularly with equally impressive views at the dam just down the road.

Go to see pieces by The Group of Seven but unless you are A) American and therefore unable to see their works elsewhere or B) A huge fan this museum is outrageously priced for the miniscule size of the permanent collection.  

Even as a huge fan and supporter of the Arts the $17.50 per person cost of admission and lack of free parking within a quarter mile is very steep.  As a single person (and a tourist) I can understand visiting once, but consider what it would cost for a family of four to visit.....it would probably be cheaper to drive, park, and see the (far superior) Seattle Museum instead.

Credit to the museum store - all things being equal it is the best part of the experiece.

Actually a really fantastic art museum gift store - better than the art museum itself, in my opinion.  Great selection of both high-art and humorous collectibles plus jewelry made by local artists.

Visiting after Christmas was a nice added bonus particularly because of the prices and selection.

Servicable and affordable, nice gym, rather surly staff.  The airport shuttle is a nice perk but the entire lobby stinks of cheap Chinese food from the overpriced Chinese restaurant.

The price was right and the car was nice while the customer service was friendly but seriously, could this place be any further from the Airport?

Between the 30 minute wait for the shuttle and the 20 minute wait for the car you'll get what you pay for - eventually.

Full review in the blog:

With the kitchen large, spotless, and surprisingly tranquil given the rapidity of service it would be only ten minutes after ordering that small plates would be passed out and our appetizer would arrive - a classic I couldn't possibly leave without ordering in the form of Beignets with powdered sugar and chicory anglaise.  Served as a quintet and immediately claiming the extra for myself these two-bite fried pieces of dough would prove to be an admirable take on the Café du Monde classic and though not as light as the beignets down south certainly not "dense" or "oily" either.  Good on their own but with a sidecar of nutty yet slightly bitter sauce at the side the beignets were definitely a nice start but in the end they would also prove the least impressive item of the morning.

Moving on to our main courses, delivered as a quartet and filling the table to capacity, each selection would arrive piping hot and elegantly presented and with three savories and a sweet plus one additional side I knew right away there would be plenty of plate passing and sharing to be done.  Beginning first with the savories, my mother's selection would be the most "standard" of the quartet, a dish from the Toulouse Benedict section of the menu featuring Snake River Farms Kurubota Ham and house made lemon hollandaise over a pair of poached eggs, toasted English muffins, and a side of breakfast potatoes.  First noting that this was a large plate of food for a mere $8 what really impressed me was not so much the portion but the quality - the ham supple, tender, and not watery in the least while the yard eggs were creamy, and the potatoes and muffins were crisp on the exterior and tender within while the light citrus of the creamy hollandaise took center stage without overwhelming at all.  A great Benedict by any definition, but nowhere near as impressive as that ordered by my sister.

For Erika, the Toulouse Benedict with Rustic Duck and Pistachio Terrine would arrive quite similar to the plate my mother selected but taking out the tasty yet expected ham and replacing it with a pan seared slice of meaty duck terrine imbued with foie gras and thick chunks of pistachio both on the interior and acting as a crust I can say without a shadow of a doubt that this would prove to be one of the very best breakfast savories I have ever tasted.  Served atop the same English Muffins as the other Benedict yet with the Hollandaise even more subdued by the gaminess of the terrine I'll note that for someone who rarely has plate envy this was a case where although my dish was good, this one was stellar.

With aunt going the sweet route the final savory of the morning would be my dish, another duck preparation but this time lacking the sauce and instead pairing Duck Confit Hash with potatoes, parsnips, turnips, thyme, and two poached eggs.  Beginning first with the hash itself, the compilation of crispy root vegetables was beautifully prepared and mixed with greens and a light vinaigrette plus spices the flavors were fresh, mild, and crisp providing a nice backdrop to the crackling skin and tender flesh of the savory duck.  Moving on to the eggs I will note that although tasty they were slightly overcooked, particularly when compared to those on the Benedicts and although a small quibble it was certainly noteworthy considering how well the others had turned out.

With my plate smaller than the others by some degree it turned out somewhat fortuitous that my carbohydrate loving side had additionally opted for a $3 side dish of Creole Buttermilk Biscuits with butter and strawberry jam to go along with my hash and although not the standard large fluffy biscuits one would expect in Southern cooking, I actually found these more dense and buttery versions to be quite tasty, particularly with the thick jam and when used to sop up the yolk and vinaigrette left on my plate after finishing the hash.

Moving on to the "dessert" portion of breakfast, my aunt's choice of Bananas Foster Pancakes with candied pecans and pecan butter plus a $2 side of vanilla ice cream would take me right back to my visit to NOLA in more ways than one as the fluffy pancakes were absolutely soaked in boozy rich caramelized syrup while the candied pecans and rich pecan butter added a nice smoky note to the presentation plus a bit of crunch.  Served almost too hot to eat (yet unfortunately not on fire like true Bananas Foster) it was at my bidding that she added the ice cream - a rich vanilla bean that harkened back to my visit to Camellia Grill when I devoured a Pecan Waffle plus a slice of fried pecan pie topped with ice cream only hours before flying home.

Described loquaciously as being built "around notions larger and more expansive than any particular theme or region" Toulouse Petite does a pretty excellent job of replicating many of the flavors I experienced in New Orleans even if it is 2,600 miles away and all at a price that really cannot be beat.