Wednesday food trucks

Today Jemille Cajun truck was there, and they had an Oyster Po Boy today! $9.99.

I brought lunch from home, but came down to see what was happening. Again, and older person asked me what the truck was selling. I explained that this one sold Meat Pies. He said it was expensive, I agreed, then asked if I could give him money to get a meat pie. I told him I was just looking, and left.

$12 grilled cheese anybody?

Meat Pies. Its hard to read, they run around $8

More Food Trucks

Yesterday we had two,  Lucky Devil and Nomads. Nomads features Hamburgers, $10 average.  I was just passing by today, no ordering. Tuesday was a different story.

Today, we have three. Marination, Jemils and Nomad.

I decided to get a Shrimp Po Boy at Jemils, Cajun food.  $9.50 with tax. It was really good.

As I was waiting in line and old lady came up to me and asked me what kind of food the truck was selling. I told her it was Cajun. Nope, she didn't know what that was. New Orleans, Louisiana? Gulf Coast? nope.   Based on French Creole. uh uh, "is it Asian?"  no. "is it spicy?" yeah, a little. She wandered off.  How does one explain what Cajun food is to someone who doesn't even know what New Orleans is?

Small gathering at Jemils, no one at Jerk Station and 30 people in line for Marination. This truck is so popular, they opened a real restaurant on Alki, at the dock. We went in once, but didn't eat anything.

Jerk Station

$16 dollar Lobster Roll! - Jerk Station

Line for Marination

PO BOY!

The food truck craze continues!

I believe I wrote about this last year, the resurgence of the food truck in Seattle. Now there are spaces outside the downtown towers reserving the parking for food trucks. However, these are hit and miss, the real action is now taking place on the corner of 2nd and Pine.

Dog Japon   has been there for years. It's not a truck, it's a covered hot dog stand. They have ridiculous dogs and pictures of famous people eating them. They tried to open up a smaller stand in Westlake Park, but it didn't last very long.  I've never eaten a Japon dog for obvious reasons.

The other trucks rotate, or fight each other for the spots, I don't know. Today there was Saffron Spice, Buns on Wheels and Monti Cristo Mobile.  Yesterday I had my eye on the Cajun truck with Po Boys.

I find the fascination a bit odd. This is not the "roach coach" that shows up to industrial areas, this is gourmet food, sold out of truck and eaten on the street. Bizzare.    I am kinda thinking about the Prawns wrap at Saffron though. at $7.99 its a steal for the city. I wonder if Prawns wrap is actually Prawn wrap! ha ha.

RN 74

Finally! I have wanted to try this place since it opened up a year or two ago. It is located on 4th and Pike. Next door to our other favorite, Pot Belly Sandwich.

I invited a client to lunch here and she cancelled at the last minute, but Prashant and I went anyway.

Prashant had CROQUE MADAME - COUNTRY HAM, EMMENTHALER, MORNAY, FRIED EGG*  $12. He said it was great.

I had Halibut Fish and Chips of course!  $14. It was WONDERFUL! dang, that was the best I've probably ever had. The crust was so light and crispy, the menu says "beer batter', but it was very different than any beer batter I have ever tried.

The service was impeccable. The interior very clean and professional. The tables are pushed together a little too close, but luckily it wasn't that busy.

They have a lot of wines, if that is your thing. I am a beer guy and the beer menu scared me. One beer was $19 for one beer! it was a large beer, but still, that is pretty steep.

I would like to try dinner here some night.  If I can get past Wild Ginger!

http://michaelmina.net/restaurants/locations/rnwa.php

Hop Jacks

I remember reading about this last year in the newspaper. This is a new restaurant, from the ground up in the space where that sleazy Sandpiper was in Silverdale.  There is also a brand new Taco Time on the grounds.

My mother and I decided to try Hop Jacks last week on a Saturday.  We arrived about 1pm.  The space is open, with high ceilings, and lots of TV monitors. A decent size bar appears to occupy the center. There are outside tables with a nice view of Dyes Inlet. It was very clean and new looking.

The place was probably half full. We were immediately greeted and shown to a table.  Shortly after, the waiter came over and asked if we had ever been there before. Neither of us had, so he gave us his spiel.

Homemade hamburgers, never frozen beef. A few specials, he indicated that the fish tacos were popular. He told us about the beer and how it is kept at 34 degrees. Yum. I decided to have a 16 oz Bud Light.  They also have bottomless Lemonade at 34 degrees.

I ordered the fish tacos, my mother ordered the Santa Fe grilled cheese. Cheddar and Pepperjack, jalepeno slices, avacado and tomato on Texas Toast! wow! 

The drinks came out quickly and that was one cold, tasty beer. If I lived in Silverdale I would probably watch a game or two there and drink cold cold beer.

The food came out soon after. I was surprised at how quickly it came out.  My plate contained three fish tacos that appeared to have several deep fried pieces of Cod in there along with lettuce, grated cheese and a southwest sauce in a flour tortilla. It was ok. The fish was decent, but it lacked something. It was plain. It was a lot of food though. I ate it all and was very full.  I would order it again but it is by no means my favorite fish taco.

My mothers Grilled Cheese looked amazing. She said it was very good. I will probably order this next time I go there.

In search of: Vegetarian Pho

Since moving to Seattle in December, I have yet to find a decent Pho restaurant that serves vegetarian Pho.  Ok, before I go any further, I realize there is no such thing, true Pho is made of Beef brisket. I know, I know.

However, some places do make a vegetarian Pho, cause, this isn't Vietnam.

T and N Pho in Poulsbo has the best veggie Pho I have ever had. We love that place. Bronwen loves thier chicken stock (also not REAL Pho). We both have yet to find a replacement. That being said, B has found plenty of decent chicken Pho, but I have yet to find a decent Veggie Pho.

I've actually been searching for this before I moved. I first tried the  place at the Greyhound station on 8th and Stewart. This is when I first learned that just because they have veggie Pho on the menu, it doesn't necessarily mean it is vegetarian. This place (since closed) gave me veggie pho, Tofu and vegetables, in Chicken stock!  DOH!

My boss loves the place on 6th and Pine. Cafe Saigon I think its called. It is downstairs. They do have a vegetarian Pho. I have had it a few times. It is ok. It's no T and N.

Pho Bac in International District was decent, I tried it a year ago, I might have to give it another try.

Since we moved here,  I have tried:

Than Brothers http://www.thanbrothers.com/    I actually thought this was a small family owned place. There are 14 of them!  The best part of this Pho is the cream puff they give you with your check. Yum!

The Pho is decent, and vegetarian. They are fast food. You sit down, order, they go in and get it. Its pre made. It's ok, but no T and N.

Saigon Boat Cafe - Alki Ave.  It's on the beach, that is the best part. It was decent. No T and N.

Pho White Center - 16th and Roxbury. I think it has a new name now. We went there last week. I asked if they have vegetarian Pho. She went to the back to talk to the cook. Yes.  It took forever.

It was decent, but it was no T and N.

Pho 99. 15th and Roxbury.   I was super hungry Sunday am after a nice run down the beach. I wanted something healthy. I was super tempted to go to Christos and pig out on a big omelet and hash browns.  I went to Yelp and entered  "Vegetarian Pho"  I found a place in White Center. I raced up there. I sat down, I  read the menu. No vegetarian Pho. In fact, they didn't even have Chicken stock. Beef only. bummer, they open early too. I want Pho for breakfast. That only makes things harder.

I found a place down the street called "Deli and Pho" I think. It is next to the Huong Long Asian super store. I went in and hesitantly asked if they have vegetarian Pho. She went to the kitchen to ask. Yes!  This time mine came out fast. It came out before other people who ordered before me!

It was lame. It was basically a ton of veggies, a few noodles, served in hot water! No taste at all. So bland. I added stuff to it, but I couldnt salvage it. I ate most of it out of sheer hunger and it was the most vegetables I have even seen in a bowl of Pho. I couldn't even eat it all!  It was definitely no T and N.

Thai Taste... it's your fault Thai Curry Simple

I love Thai Curry Simple. I have said it before and I will say it again. It is a great Thai restaurant located in the International District.

When I moved to Seattle, the first weekend the kids were over, I took them to Thai Curry Simple. They were closed. Ok, it was the day after Thanksgiving. I can accept that. Thier main business is M-F lunch crowd.  But then I went back in January.. it was still closed.  A poorly written note in the window said "closed till Jan 9", the date was Jan 12.   I checked the website and the website said "closed until Jan 16".  Very dissapointing.

I have been skeptical ever since. If I go to the ID, 10 minutes from work, will they even be open? The website seems to indicate that they are back open.

Today I was heading to Thai Curry Simple. I had a few errands to run in Pioneer Square, so I figured I would keep on going and get some lunch.  As it happened, I found a new Thai place. I really didn't want to try a new place, but I still feel let down by TCS.  I walked in to Thai Taste on 2nd and Cherry and ordered Phad Tha w/ Tofu to go. $8.60 with tax.

The serving size was bigger than TCS. I liked that. They use Fried Tofu, which was nice, but, it was no TCS. It reminded me of Mae Phim Thai. The dish is ok, but to orangy, like they used the cheater method of adding orange juice concentrate as flavoring. Boring.

I may actually come back here, they have lunch combos for $8.25.  You get a spring roll, Phad Thai AND an entree. I think the only one you can get with Tofu is  the Swimming Angel which I like.

This place is no Thai Curry Simple, but it is closer to work and affordable. It is clear that TCS has to learn to be more reliable and also hire a staff so you can take a vacation and still keep the doors open to your once loyal fans.  I can we won back, but any more unexpected closures will probably signal my last visit.