don't hate me because i'm a food blogger! (chefs bite back, seattle met)

I don't typically pick up Seattle Met magazine (I'm a loyal subscriber of Seattle magazine), but I was standing in line at the grocery store and was lured in by its 25 Best Restaurants list. I got home and immediately started reading, but to be honest, I was a bit bored by this uninspired list. It called out the usual big names including Canlis, Rover's, Mistral Kitchen, Tilth, Crush, Poppy, and The Herbfarm, as well as a few of the newer spots like Sushi Kappo Tamura, Revel, The Book Bindery, The Coterie Room, and Staple and Fancy. But what really caught my attention was the related piece titled Chefs Bite Back.

Chefs Bite Back: Seattle Met (November 2011)

A fun read, Chefs Bite Back anonymously polls local chefs and restauranteurs about their opinions on all things related to the Seattle restaurant scene. Most overrated restauranteur? 28% Tom Douglas (but he was also named a better restaurant titan than Ethan Stowell by a landslide). Seattle vs. Portland? 76% Seattle. I particularly love the quote about Restaurant Week and Dine Around Seattle. "25% loathe 'em: 'It's dumbing down your food for people who don't want to spend the money.'"

However, the part that stuck out to me was the chefs' and restauranteurs' thoughts on bloggers. A couple of them questioned the credibility of everyday food critics, both bloggers and Yelpers (valid), while another simply pointed out that it's nice to have so much excitement about food. But then there was thing about bloggers and free food. One restauranteur said, "It's really funny, people come into restaurants and tell you they're going to blog about you and they're hoping for free stuff." Another talked about a table of bloggers who happily announced that they were restaurant bloggers so they could get free food. Identify myself to get free food? That just seems silly and unproductive. Although I'm still working on my stealth photography skills, it seems to me that the best way to review a restaurant is to experience it as a regular diner / secret reviewer. Alert the server that you're writing a review, and s/he's bound to treat you differently. Haven't you seen Ratatouille?

Anyway, if any of you restauranteurs come across my blog, here are a few things you should know about me / my blog:

• My qualifications are simply that I love food. Also, I am into the details. 
• I don't want free food or special service, but I do hope you have good food and good service. Good dessert would be icing on the cake.
• I hope my blog gets people out and eating delicious food.
• I also hope my blog gets people to wear pretty shoes.

counter of baked goodness (volunteer park café, capitol hill)

Today, a good friend and I headed over to Volunteer Park Café for lunch. We had both been there before and enjoyed the food, but neither of us had tried their lunch fare. Figuring it was worth checking out, we made the quick drive over to Capitol Hill.

Volunteer Park Café: 1501 17th Ave E.

Located just two blocks from the northeast of Volunteer Park at 17th and Galer, VPC has the feel of a friendly neighborhood café. The chef-owners pride themselves on their use of fresh, local ingredients, many of which come from straight from the back garden and local farms. The breakfast and lunch menus feature seasonal items comprised of these ingredients, including daily breakfast stratas, quiche, coffee cakes, salads, soups, and sandwiches. At night, the Counter of Baked Goodness takes a backseat to the antique chandeliers overhead, with dinner service that showcases warm, hearty dishes (think: mac and cheese, pot pie, beef brisket, pizza...).

Day time Counter of Baked Goodness.
Night time chandelier in the background.

Close-up of Baked Goodness.
Scroll down for details about the Charlie Brown cookie.

Upon entering the café, I immediately noticed the delectable aroma of BUTTER permeating dining room. The smell was so strong, I could practically taste it. I imagine this must have influenced my unwavering decision to order the brown butter pumpkin bisque, one of the three soups offered today. The pumpkin bisque had a warm buttery flavor seasoned with thyme, resulting in a silky, smooth texture and a flavor that was surprisingly not too rich and wonderfully well-balanced. The simple flavors were perfect for showing off the pumpkin's flavor, and unlike many fall pumpkin/squash soups, it wasn't overwhelmingly sweet. It was served with a slice of bread.. great for dipping and enjoying the soup, but otherwise rather unmemorable.

Daily soup: Brown butter pumpkin bisque.

To go with my soup, I also ordered the BLT sandwich with avocado. In general, anything with bacon is delicious in my book, and I especially love a good BLT. However, with just one glance at this BLT, I knew I was about to be let down. Let's start with the bread: It was thickly sliced yet very airy, and it didn't have much flavor. It looked a nice golden brown, but the lack of butter made the toasted parts dry and crumbly. There was a sufficient amount of avocado and lettuce, but the tomatoes were sparse and not as sweet as I would have expected from this farm-fresh establishment. The pepper bacon was very tasty and nicely crisped, but as you can see in the photo, wasn't evenly distributed and resulted in many lettuce-tomato-avocado bites. This is a serious flaw considering that the whole point of ordering a BLT is to have an acceptable reason for eating bacon at lunch. Despite all my complaints about this sandwich, I did eat pretty much all of it, so it couldn't have been that bad. After all, it did have bacon, and remember, bacon = delicious. But it simply wasn't my favorite BLT in town (that one would be hard to beat.. review coming soon!).

Sandwich: BLT with avocado.

Bakeries rather than restaurants are typically where Seattleites can actually find quality desserts, so we couldn't leave without trying some of VPC's sweets. After some very serious contemplation at the Counter of Baked Goodness, we ordered a slice of raspberry buttermilk cake and a Charlie Brown cookie. The raspberry buttermilk cake was fluffy and moist and had a layer of sticky, ripe raspberry purée at the bottom. Even with the dusting of powdered sugar on top, the cake was sweet-but-not-too-sweet, and definitely could be eaten as a breakfast pastry á la coffee cake.

Raspberry buttermilk cake.

The over-sized Charlie Brown cookie, on the other hand, was very sweet and would put young children and grown-ups alike in chocolate peanut butter heaven. Its crinkled, crunchy outside gave way to a soft, fudgy middle scattered with peanut butter chips throughout. What more can I say? If you're a fan of chocolate and peanut butter, this one's for you.

Charlie Brown cookie (chocolate peanut butter).

The endgame: Volunteer Park Café serves up delectable baked goods and successfully incorporates seasonal flavors into savory (pumpkin bisque) and sweet (raspberry buttermilk cake) dishes alike. Skip the sandwiches -- breads failed to impress, and that is an essential component!

Shoes: Manolo Blahnik "Campy" pump.

Lunch shoes: Manolo Blahnik "Campy" pump in nude patent leather. An updated Mary Jane style with a slightly rounded toe and tonal grosgrain trim.

french country delight (boat street café & kitchen, belltown)

This morning we stopped in for a quick bite at Boat Street Café & Kitchen, located at Western and Denny just north of the Olympic Sculpture Park. This French eatery is tucked away in a little alcove next to Canlis Glass and features dinner in the café's dining room and weekday lunch and weekend brunch at the adjacent "kitchen."

Boat Street Kitchen: 3131 Western Ave.

A view of the counter inside Boat Street Kitchen.
Tables fill the rest of the dining area.

I was in the mood for a benedict and was immediately drawn to the smoked salmon benedict with arugula and hollandaise (there was also the Boat Street classic benedict with sharp cheddar, tomato, and hollandaise and the chèvre benedict with artichoke and hollandaise). The food arrived shortly after, the poached eggs covered in a lightly colored hollandaise and yolks quivering as the plate was set on the table. The eggs sat atop the bright pieces of smoked salmon, arugula, and slices of a French baguette. The mix of crusty bread, salty salmon, nutty arugula, creamy egg yolk, and not-too-heavy hollandaise was a delightful explosion of flavors and textures. The small mixed greens salad went nicely with the benedict, and the slices of ripe strawberry and tangerine were a nice, light complement to the dish in both appearance and taste.

Smoked salmon benedict with arugula and hollandaise.
Served with a salad of mixed greens and fresh fruit.

We also ordered the house poached tuna on flageolet, a wonderfully creamy white bean. This warm and comforting dish was lightly seasoned, highlighting the tuna's fresh flavor that is so often missed when eaten from a can. It was served in a petite gratin dish alongside a mixed greens salad, fresh beets, and baguette. Although less bold in flavor and apperance next to the salmon benedict, this unassuming dish was tasty and satisfying on a brisk Seattle morning.

House poached tuna on flageolet with
mixed greens, fresh beets, and baguette.

In short, Boat Street Kitchen was an excellent choice for Sunday brunch, serving up a deliciously refreshing take on eggs benedict and casual French fare.

Coveted shoes: Christian Louboutin peep toe
pump in camel patent leather.

Sorry, no shoe photo today. But here is a pair of shoes I am eyeing.. Christian Louboutin peep toe pump in camel patent leather.

unpretentious and utterly delicious (betty, queen anne)

I should begin with a small confession: Betty is by far one of my most favorite restaurants in Seattle. With its unpretentious, bistro-style food and PNW-influenced flavors highlighting local, in-season ingredients, Betty is neighborhood gem and long-time favorite of mine. Since its opening in 2007, this sister restaurant of the popular Crow has captured my heart -- and stomach. But in all fairness, I'll base this review on tonight's experience alone (mostly).

Betty: 1507 Queen Anne Ave. N.

Betty is located in upper Queen Anne amidst the small strip of restaurants, cafés, clothing boutiques, and other small businesses. The dining room is slightly smaller than Crow's, but shares a similar esthetic featuring tables mixed with dark-wood booths and bar-seating with a full view of the kitchen. Towards the back of the restaurant is the bar, with L-shaped bar seating and a few more tables. In the past year, a small outdoor patio was added -- although the patio doesn't offer a view, it does provide breezy, outdoor seating during the few sunny weeks in the summer.

The dining room is contemporary, warm, and inviting, with its muted colors, clean lines, and simple yet elegant table setting. Diners on this evening represented a mix of the typical Queen Anne crowd.. girlfriends dressed up for a night out, young and childless professional couples on a date, older couples enjoying a casual meal together, and the occasional family with young child in tow.

One of several booths at Betty. Behind the wall,
bar-seating with views of the kitchen.

I started the night with a sparking ginger lemonade -- a concoction of ginger infused vodka, fresh lemonade, and sparking water over ice and served in a wine glass. An excellent summer cocktail, and also a refreshing before-dinner drink. 

Cocktail: Sparkling ginger lemonade.

For appetizers, we ordered six Ocean Pearl oysters on the half shell (Henderson Bay in the Puget Sound) and the Bibb lettuce and pear salad. The oysters were small to medium size, similar to the much-loved Kumamoto oyster with a mild, briny flavor. These were served with lemon and a red wine vinaigrette, excellent complements to this refreshing oyster. The salad was a lovely mix of buttery Bibb lettuce, sweet pears, salty bleu cheese, and crunchy walnuts finished with a bright dressing and (optional) sprinkle of freshly ground pepper.

Ocean Pearl oysters on the half shell (Henderson Bay, WA).

Bibb lettuce and pear salad.

One of the things I love best about Betty is its approachable menu (ribeye, sausage, chicken, Betty burger!) with seasonal flair (fish du jour, cassoulet!). It's also un-apologetically meat forward with a nod to the herbivores at the table (there is always a vegetarian option in addition to 2-3 salads). Although tonight's menu only featured seven entrées, I found myself wavering between the delicious options in front of me. Tonight, we opted for the pan roasted chicken and ribeye steak with frites. We also ordered the Evening Land Pinot Noir (2009, OR) to complement our meal.

Wine: Evening Land Pinot Noir (OR).

Here is the part when I can no longer hide my on-going love affair with Betty. Confession: one of us at the table ALMOST ALWAYS orders the pan roasted chicken. It is simply the best chicken in town, with its perfectly crispy, salty outside and juicy, flavorful inside. It rests in a shallow bowl of juices mixed with garlic and thyme and is served with seasonal vegetables -- tonight's chicken featured brussels sprouts and fingerling potatoes. The ever-changing accompaniments adds to the appeal and means I have yet to tire of this amazing dish.

Entrée: Pan roasted chicken with brussels sprouts
and fingerling potatoes.

Another consistently outstanding entrée is the ribeye steak with frites. A generous cut of meat, the ribeye is tender and well-marbled. It is covered in a rich, wine and garlic-flavored sauce and served with a heap of golden, crispy-on-the-outside and soft-on-the-inside frites.

Entrée: Ribeye steak with frites.

In previous visits, Betty's one downfall has been its desserts (similar to my experience with other restaurants). Even the summer peach pie has been mediocre, leading me to often avoid dessert here altogether with a few exceptions: a post-dinner cheese plate or seasonal ice cream/sorbet. Tonight, we skipped dessert -- not a difficult decision given our already full stomachs.

The final verdict: Betty is a restaurant I will return to time and again. It offers consistently delicious, unpretentious food with sophisticated, local and seasonal flavors. Whether you're dressed up for a nice evening out or wearing your favorite Lulu, Betty is sure to please.

Shoes: Gucci thong sandals with signature red and green web.

Shoes to go with my Lulu: Gucci thong sandals with signature red and green web. Also, check out that sparkling pedicure!