Restaurant Reviews!

It's been awhile since I've offered up new restaurant reviews. Maybe we're just set in our ways, but we seem to frequent the same restaurants every week (or month) and don't get out to new places very often. Our loss for sure!

One restaurant I tried recently with a few friends. Poquitos is on Capitol Hill in Seattle (close to SCCC for those familiar with the area). It's super cute inside and offered very quick service and good food for a reasonable price. My friends had both been there before and had their favorites - I went with one of their suggestions: Chicken Tinga Tacos.
The menu describes them as "Shredded free range chicken braised in tomato, garlic & chipotle, topped with cilantro, cotija & onion." What first caught my eye was the fact that these are free-range, which is important to me and I like restaurants who support that. The tacos were really flavorful and totally hit the spot. My friends enjoyed their very large selection of tequila but I stuck with just a dry vanilla bean soda. I'd go back to Poquitos any day!

The second restaurant the Hubs and I visited together. Hangar Cafe is located close to Boeing Field in the Georgetown area, and is a tiny converted house.

This restaurant is known for their crepes and brunch foods, and they sure didn't disappoint! We visited around noon on a weekday, and they weren't too busy. I ordered an original mimosa (served in a pint glass!)

and their Triple B Waffles (unfortunately they were out of basil so this became the Double B instead with bacon and brie).

Hubs got the Hangar Crepe (ham, swiss, egg, some veggies and sauce). Both of our meals were outstanding (we shared!) and I wouldn't hesitate to visit again.

Visiting Leavenworth

I recently went to visit my friend who lives in Wenatchee, Washington. We hadn't seen one another in 10 months, and it was so wonderful to get a chance to catch up! One of the days I was there we took a quick trip to Leavenworth, which is well-known for their Octoberfest and Christmas festivals. Luckily I was there before the Xmas festival, so the town was pretty quiet.

We started our day with a meal at Uncle Uli's Pub,where we both enjoyed the Pulled Pork sandwiches. The sandwiches were delicious, and I especially enjoyed the Hot Spiced Wine I had with it. :)Later in the day we had an apple strudel at a bakery, and it was very rich and really hit the spot! We followed that up with a visit to Cup and Kettle, a local tea shop. I ended up buying two teas, and have enjoyed both of them.Here are some random pictures from the trip, Leavenworth is just so cute!

Katsu...burger?? Really?

A new place just opened that we absolutely had to check out. Katsu Burger! You're probably more familiar with chicken or pork katsu, but this restaurant literally takes a burger and breads it, then deep fries it.We checked this restaurant out on a Thursday afternoon around 2, to avoid the crowds (it's quite popular during regular lunchtime hours). We had the place to ourselves, and the staff was super friendly and interested in what we thought of the food.I ordered the Tokyo Classic (the most basic burger) and the husband had the Ninja Deluxe (pork with cheese and bacon). We also tried the curry and nori fries, and split a green tea milkshake.
The food was crazy rich, but I did enjoy it. I don't think I'll be going back anytime soon (this is maybe a once-a-year meal), but it's such a novelty that you should totally check it out.

Pumpkin Beerfest

Earlier this month we attended the Elysian 2011 Great Pumpkin Beer Festival. This is the 1st time this beerfest has been in Georgetown; it was held at the new Elysian Brewery on Airport Way.We went with some friends and had a great time. $20 gets you in the festival (or $25 if you buy tickets at the door), a collectible glass, and 6 drink tickets.

In no particular order, we had:
Elysian Kurbitinus
Elliot Bay PABST
Elysian The Great Pumpkin
St. Arnold Pumpkinator
Anderson Valley Oatmeal Stout
Elysian Dark o' the Moon
Elysian Hansel & Gretel
Elysian MROPA
Uinta Punk'n
Elysian Coche de Medianoche
Howe Sound Pumpkineater
Midnight Sun Trickster

We also had a couple sips of our friend's beer, and also tried beer straight out of a pumpkin (this is the "main event" at the festival).We especially loved the beer from the pumpkin, and our other favorite beer was the Elysian Dark o' the Moon. All the rest of the beers were good, but a lot of them tasted really similar.






There were food trucks at the festival, but instead we ate at Smarty Pants, a local sandwich place. Really enjoyed the sandwich, although I was a bit tipsy so I can't properly review the restaurant. :)
I really enjoyed this event and plan on going next year, too. It's extra nice that it's only 5ish minutes from our house and on a direct bus line (super important when you're tipsy)!

McGrath Fish House

Last month we celebrated three family birthdays at the McGrath Fish House restaurant in Federal Way. They have a tank of live lobsters in the lobby.We had a fairly large party of 12 people, but we were promptly seated and given complimentary bread.

Our server was attentive and offered suggestions, and we all seemed to enjoy our food. This restaurant is about what I expected for the prices (which are very low). Everything was edible but not exactly "gourmet" - overall it's an OK place to go with people who A) like seafood and B) like traditional American cuisine. Also, this place has way too big of a menu, which is normally a bad sign.

I got one of the specials, which I think was maybe salmon, and the husband got Parmesan halibut.I would give this restaurant a solid B rating, but I don't plan on going back unless someone else suggests it.

RN74

Several months ago I went to a newly opened restaurant in downtown Seattle. RN74 has a wine bar-ish atmosphere, with sleek decor and small portions that are exquisite (and expensive).
I've now been to this restaurant twice, and both times I left impressed. The first time I went here for appetizers and drinks with a friend. We both got the crab bisque, and I had 2 glasses of a white wine (I can't remember what it was at this point, but I do remember that I liked it). We each got a dessert (beignets for me, apple tatin for my friend). The bisque was totally delish, but the price tag for a rather humble "meal" for 2 was nearly $80.

The second time I went here was with my husband, before going to Les Miserables at the 5th Ave Theatre. We opted for the "Pre Theatre" menu, which allows you to choose an appetizer/entree/dessert off a limited menu for $49 pp. I had the crudite salad, Beef Bourguignon, and Chocolate pot de creme. The husband had the crab bisque, chicken coq au vin, and also the chocolate pot de creme. Both of us LOVED our food, although when they first brought the beef out I thought it wouldn't feed a small child, let alone a hungry adult. The meat (what little there was of it) was incredibly tender and flavorful. The dessert was absolutely to-die-for, and I'd go back just for that. We also ordered a $44 half-bottle of red wine, which was also tasty.

All in all, we enjoyed the meal, but I'm not sure it was worth $150+. I'll be back, but probably only for drinks next time. Maybe for that dessert, too. :)