The Daily Bite - Weekly Review

March 3

The problem I have with macaroons is this: I can't be happy eating just one, which aside from the calories, can add up to a pretty penny for an afternoon snack. They are so delicate, so small, so creamy and yet slightly chewy - and they look so damn pretty. Fresh Flours on Phinney and in Ballard, creates the most delectable display of macaroons. They sit there on the counter almost begging to be devoured. All of their flavors are spectacular, but I particularly like the green tea. The green tea  is rich and flavorful, and almost refreshing. The Phinney location is conveniently located near the Woodland Park Zoo, it's a hard place to resist. Especially since it's on our walk home.  Fresh Flours also serves a wide variety of house-made pastries, as well as lunch items. 

March 2 

If you are looking for a consistently good vegetarian Thai restaurant in Ballard, Jhanjay Thai on Ballard Avenue is the spot. The atmosphere inside is modern, yet inviting with an open view to the kitchen, which I find always entertaining. The cozy atmosphere makes for a welcoming retreat from a cold and rainy Seattle day. And what better way to get the chill out of your bones than by enjoying a well-crafted, perfectly spicy curry dish? The food is stellar, regardless of the fact that it's vegetarian. The sweet chili sauce served with the Asian fries has the prefect balance of sweet versus heat, and is absolutely addictive. Although their menu choices are pretty standard for a vegetarian Thai restaurant - noodles, stir-fry, curries, and the such, dining at Jhanjay however, you can taste the quality of the ingredients and appreciate the skill involved in the execution of each plate.

March 1 

Last Fall the owner of the popular Belltown restaurant Umi opened what can only be described as an amazing feat of transformation. Momiji was constructed from the ground up in what was once the old Dawson Plumbing building. It's hard to believe that it's the same building. From the individually and locally hand-carved tables to the artfully created traditional Japanese menu, each and every detail was deliberately pulled together to create a space that provides a soulful and exquisite dining experience. The showpiece is the intriguing and romantic Kyoto-style courtyard designed by Junji Miki, which captures your eye from every angle. Whether you are in the mood for a well-crafted good old standard California roll, or something a little more adventurous like their Tarantula Extreme roll made with soft shell crab, cucumber wrapped with avocado and topped with seared spicy crab mayo mix of jalapeno, and tobiko, you will walk away from Momiji completely satisfied, mentally and physically. Maybe even Zen-like.

February 29

Off of Greenwood Avenue on 78th Street there is a cozy, unpretentious spot to relax and enjoy a skillfully pulled espresso and pastry from Macrina Bakery.  Although Makeda is housed in a brick retail space, you can easily miss it when walking down Greenwood. It seems so unlikely that one of the best coffee shops in the city would be on a residential side street, but there it is.  The interior is warm and welcoming and the baristas are equally so. It's the perfect spot to catch up on that book that has been so sadly neglected, or to meet up with friends. The vibe inside is that this place cares about creating a gathering space for the community. Looking around the warmly lit room with comfortable seating it is obvious they achieved that goal.  Makeda is also a good place to grab a beer or glass of wine, although not their specialty, the space makes for a great place to meet a friend for a drink without being in a bar. 

February 28

If you are a bivalve fan, then the latest Taylor Shellfish store at the Melrose Market on Melrose Avenue in Capitol Hill is a destination you need to get to. Check out their latest and freshest sampling of oysters, mussels, crab, clams, and geoduck. Feeling hungry? Who wouldn't looking at all that shellfish. Dine in and enjoy freshly shucked oysters, dungeness crab, and a chowder bar courtesy of award winning chef Xinh Dwelley. From 2pm-4pm Monday through Friday they offer an oyster "happy-hour" with a discount on half shell oysters. What a lovely way to shop for dinner! Pick up a a dozen or two oysters and in the process enjoy tasting their freshest selections with a glass of wine or one of Seattle's award winning beers.  The staff is eager to share their vast knowledge of all things shellfish, from recipes to cookings basics, you can even learn the correct way to shuck your own oysters at home.

February 27

There is a reason why the line is so long at Cafe Besalu, and it has nothing to do with the folks behind the register, it has everything to do with the guy making pastries to the left of them. The croissants are simply amazing. Buttery, flaky, and chewy all rolled up into one delicious bite.  Pastry chef and owner James Miller was a 2010 James Beard semi-finalist, which says quite a bit for a little pastry shop in Ballard. If croissants aren't your thing, they also serve up a stellar selection of quiches, danish (sweet and savory), as well as a ginger biscuit to die for! It may take a little while before you actually get to indulge, but it is entertaining to watch James and his wife Kaire lovingly work at their craft while an audience of eager customers wait patiently in an ever increasingly long line.

February 26

 As you stroll along   Ballard Avenue with it's original brick surface, surrounded by late 19th century buildings, it's easy to feel like you have walked out of Seattle and into a totally different city. For me, those few short blocks are very reminiscent of Boston. Housed in one of Ballard's older buildings, Bastille Cafe and Bar offers an ambience that is completely out of the country, more like that of a Parisian cafe. 19th century sconces procured from a french countryside church adorn the walls, as well as a clock that was once housed in a Paris metro station. The decor at Bastille from the restaurant to the back bar is thoughtful, spectacular, it pays hommage to the French joie de vivre. Although their menu and decor is derived from thousands of miles away, their ingredients are sourced locally. So local in fact that Bastille has it's own rooftop garden maintained by the Seattle Urban Farm Co. from which they gather many of the ingredients needed to create their stunning French menu. It's pretty amazing to think that the salad that is on your plate was only few hours ago in the ground. Now that is fresh! (photo: Frites with Truffle Aioli)