Nosh Pit

OpenTable Names Five Seattle Restaurants Among Its National Top 50

Same as New York, folks.

Posted by: Kathryn Robinson on Oct 10, 2011 at 09:00AM 11 Comments

One of the delectable options at Tilth.

In its annual diner’s-choice awards, the online restaurant reservation service OpenTable recently named five Seattle restaurants to its National Top 50: Cascina Spinasse, MistralKitchen, Spur, Staple and Fancy, and Tilth.

(Pssst: Four of these five landed on my upcoming list of the Top 25 Restaurants in Seattle, to hit news-stands end of next week. But which four…?)

The only regions to make a better showing were the Bay Area (with 10 restaurants) and Chicago (with six). And though we were a little puzzled to find the Greater Boston area tied with Seattle, we are most pleased to report that our other tie is with New York City.

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Tags: Seattle in the News, Awards and Accolades, Rankings, Critic's Notebook, Seattle Restaurant Culture

Po Dog in People Mag

The local chain’s PB Dog enjoys some celebrity status.

Posted by: Jessica Voelker on Aug 25, 2011 at 04:16PM 0 Comments

The PB Dog gets its day

Photo: Po Dog via Facebook

In this week’s issue of People magazine: a “Labor Day Special” page devoted to newfangled and novelty hot dogs, including one from Seattle’s own Po Dog.

The PB Dog features crunchy peanut butter, bananas, roasted peanuts, and of course a wiener, all on a brioche bun (recommended: a side of bong hits).

“It’s the ultimate flavor-texture combination,” reads a quote from Po Dog’s Laura Olson. Olson’s title is listed as “CEO.” CEO, huh? Hmmm. Is this little hot dog chain about to blow up?

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Tags: Seattle in the News, Seattle In the Spotlight, Hot Dogs

Nosh Pit’s Top Food Tweets of the Week

Frank Bruni does Seattle tourism a solid, a San Fran critic pulls off the impossible, and a local writer scores with a slamdunk Filet-O-Fish tweet.

Posted by: Jessica Voelker on Jun 10, 2011 at 02:21PM 0 Comments

Loving it.

Photo: McDonald’s

The number five tweet this week goes to Frank Bruni, the New York Times writer whose travel food feature on Seattle will no doubt result in even more visits from out-of-towners who stop in the middle of the sidewalk without warning. Thanks, Frank!

5. Went to Seattle area. Ate a lot. Drank a lot. Wrote a lot. The results, in this weekend’s NYTimes, http://tinyurl.com/5tsecgm

Number four goes to Tweets of Old for working the food trend beat…nineteenth-century style.

4. Pudding-eating contests are popular attractions in Seattle these days. WT1887

Next up, former Seattleite and current San Francisco restaurant critic Jonathan Kauffman pulls off something that most critics only dream of.

3. Whoa. I’m about to write about a restaurant that Yelpers haven’t even discovered.

At two: a genius tweet that qualifies for this list because it mentions PIZZA CHEESE. Its author is Seattle comedy writer Mike Drucker.

2. Mad Libs inventor died today of POOPING. He is survived by his PIZZA CHEESE and his LAWN DARTS. He will be A DINOSAUR.

1. I’ve heard rumors of the #FiletoFish displaying alarming signs of intelligence.

Happy weekend, everybody, and for those of you who harbor some misplaced desire to be a Food Tweeter of the Week: Know that Filet-O-Fish tweets will get you here faster than you can say “extra tartar, please.”

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Tags: Seattle in the News, Food Tweets of the Week, Filet-O-Fish

Where to Go in Seattle? Tilikum, Pike Place, and El Gaucho, Says the New York Times.

Food and drink picks from In Transit’s Thomas Rivas.

Posted by: Jessica Voelker on May 12, 2011 at 02:22PM 0 Comments

NYT Suggests El Gaucho.

A reader queried the NYT’s In Transit on Tuesday, asking what to do on an upcoming visit to Seattle.

The response from writer Thomas Rivas: go to Tilikum Place Cafe, El Gaucho, Pike Place Market and the Olympic Sculpture Garden.

El Gaucho seems like an odd pick for a summer visit, but Rivas writes of the “open charcoal grill that serves as the center stage every night for captivating culinary floor shows, complemented by the sounds of live piano music.”

He also recommends the Sunday recipe demos offered by local chefs at Pike Place Market. Read the whole thing here.

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Tags: Pike Place Market, Seattle in the News

Food & Wine Asks Readers to Weigh In On Best New Chef

Three Seattle chefs count themselves among the 10 Northwest finalists for the People’s chef.

Posted by: Jessica Voelker on Feb 15, 2011 at 02:28PM 0 Comments

Chef Jason Franey of Canlis, a contender for The People’s Chef

F&W has added a category to its annual Best New Chefs competition: the People’s Chef. Readers will vote from nominees hailing from 10 US regions.

Three Seattle chefs (well four, I guess) are among the Northwest contenders. They are: Jason Franey (Canlis), Brian McCracken and Dana Tough (Spur), and Shaun McCrain (Book Bindery).

Blaine Wetzel, the Lummi Island chef with the famous Noma pedigree, is also a contender.

The other contenders hail from Portland (Ben Bettinger, Chris DiMinno, Gregory Gourdet, Jenn Louis, and Jake Martin), and Depoe Bay, Oregon (Justin Wills).

You have until March 1 to vote for your favorite.

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Tags: Restaurant News, Seattle in the News, Seattle Chefs

MistralKitchen Makes Bon Appétit’s Best Desserts Roster

Oh look, another Top 10-er.

Posted by: Christopher Werner on Jan 19, 2011 at 07:35AM 0 Comments

Reason to smile: Bon Appétit mentions Neil Robertson of Mistralkitchen in its Best Desserts roundup.

Hoping the litany of food lists is a bygone of 2010? Don’t hold your breath, friend.

In its February issue, Bon Appétit reviews the 10 nationwide restaurants where ordering dessert is a must. At these places, the article dictates, the final course is spun “with a mix of childhood nostalgia, whimsical creativity, and homey flavors.” Getting a nod is South Lake Union’s MistralKitchen.

The pub applauds pastry chef Neil Robertson—his “resume—Joël Robuchon and Guy Savoy in Las Vegas—speaks for itself; but his true talents are better tasted”—before naming the Ultra Brownie, topped with peanut butter ice cream, the “must order.”

(We hear Robertson’s macaroons, available at nearby Claudio Corallo, also are wonders to behold.)

As you may recall, Seattle purveyors (deservedly) make frequent cameos on BA ’s Top 10 lists, in the past securing shout-outs for best pie, new restaurant, and pasta.

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Tags: South Lake Union, Desserts, Seattle in the News, Awards and Accolades, Food in the News

The NYT Totally Has the Hots for the San Juans

The gray lady looks lovingly at restaurants on Lummi, Orcas.

Posted by: Jessica Voelker on Jan 10, 2011 at 01:14PM 0 Comments

Ferry to fine fare The NYT gives the San Juans some love.

The Friday, January 7 edition of The New York Times included an article called “10 Restaurants Worth A Plane Ride.”

And the number 10 restaurant on this list is the Willows Inn on Lummi Island, where chef Blaine Wetzel recently took over in the kitchen. Wetzel is the ace protege of Rene Redzepi, he came to Lummi after a year and a half training at Noma, Redzepi’s Copenhagen restaurant. Noma was recently dubbed the best restaurant in the world (so, like, no pressure Blaine).

Meanwhile in the Travel Section, another article, “The 41 Places to Go in 2011” featured a blurb by Seattle writer Sarah Dickerman that mentions both Willows Inn and Allium, chef Lisa Nakamura’s Orcas Island restaurant.

Expect longer lines at the ferries.

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Tags: Seattle in the News, Food in the News, San Juans

The Walrus and the Carpenter Makes GQ’s Best New Restaurants List

But don’t be messing with the Market, Richman.

Posted by: Jessica Voelker on Dec 15, 2010 at 11:18AM 2 Comments

You’re still the one, Market.

I was excited when my coworker sent me news this morning that GQ’s Alan Richman has included The Walrus and the Carpenter, Renee Erickson’s Ballard oyster bar, among the 10 Best New Restaurants in America. No arguments here.

But then.

“The Walrus and the Carpenter feels like a throwback to an earlier era of Seattle dining. It reminds me of the once wonderful Pike Place Market, long before it got touristy and bland.”

I could comment extensively on why this statement is inaccurate but it all just sounds silly and defensive.

But one thing I must say about the Market, my very favorite place in this city. Yes, it attracts tourists. But it is not touristy! Anyone who has ever spent time there—cheering burlesque at the CanCan, popping fried oysters at Emmett Watson’s, watching the boats go by while scarfing up a gooey reuben from I Love New York Deli —can tell you that much. Seattleites share Pike Place with the tourists because we are awesome like that, but we have not ceded it.

Congrats to lovely Walrus, an utterly charming new addition to the Seattle dining scene.

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Tags: Pike Place Market, Seattle in the News, Awards and Accolades, Ballard, Rankings

Teriyaki Seattle’s Next Great Export?

A Seattle native sets his sights on east coast soy-sauced domination.

Posted by: Christopher Werner on Nov 30, 2010 at 11:45AM 1 Comments

Toshi’s Teriyaki Restaurant, the forefather of Seattle’s favorite grub.

Grub Street has the deets on a new mess hall in the Big Apple coined Glaze Teriyaki Grill. It’s the pet project of one Paul Krug, a Seattle native, who according to the blog, is “hoping to make teriyaki joints take off in New York like they did in his hometown.”

He can thank Toshi for the idea.

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Tags: Seattle in the News

Fran’s Chocolates Gets Some Love from the U.K.

The Guardian posts an article about the Seattle confectionary.

Posted by: Christopher Werner on Apr 21, 2010 at 10:20AM 0 Comments

On Tuesday Slog pointed us to cool news: local company Fran’s Chocolates is garnering headlines abroad.

Earlier this week the U.K. Guardian ran a story about how Obama is a sucker for Fran’s unbelievably delicious salted caramels. As such the author predicts an “inevitable invasion” of the salty sweet.

Apparently those across-the-ponders are slow on the uptake—not only is Obama’s infatuation old news, salted caramel has been ballyhooed here in Seattle for the past year, practically to the point of oversaturation.

I for one would be perfectly content if I never again saw a salted caramel cupcake. Anyone in agreement with me?

P.S. Way to do us proud, Fran’s!

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Tags: Seattle in the News

Three Seattle Restaurants Make OpenTable’s Most Romantic 2010

What do you think of OT’s picks?

Posted by: Jessica Voelker on Feb 03, 2010 at 11:32AM 5 Comments

Lowlit and intimate, Spring Hill is romantic by night. And the food is great all the time.

Just saw this on Eater.com. For Valentine’s Day, Open Table listed 50 romantic restaurants around the country. In Seattle: Chez Shea, Il Bistro, and Canlis.

The two market spots are admittedly romantic, and happy hour at Il Bistro is a thing of beauty. But they’re also a little bit…how to say…past their prime. And Canlis is such a no-duh choice. If I had to pick just three romantic Valentine’s destinations where the food is also up to snuff: Crush (although it’s already booked), Spring Hill, and Spinasse.

What are your three?

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Tags: Valentine's Day, Pike Place Market, Seattle in the News,