I told myself I wouldn't blog about Bainbridge much, since its such a small community, but I have to share my recent experience about Madoka.
A few of us "locals" will remember this location as the NAPA auto parts store.
Several years ago, NAPA sold to the guy who owned/managed Pleasant Beach Oyster House. He moved to Winslow to attract a large customer base. It worked for a while, I can remember when that was the hot place on the island. He sold out a few years ago, and it reopened as Madoka, featuring a Pan-Asian cuisine.
I took my date to Madoka the day before valentines. She has to work valentines day. This is one of the few places I have not been to yet, and she wanted to go as well.
We were immediately seated into a mostly empty dining area. The lighting, colors and artwork are great. This place has nice ambiance, perhaps the best on the Island.
The waiter quickly came over and brought us our menus. The menu was fairly limited. It was broken down by "small plates" and "large plates". There were probably 8 dishes of each size, but the dishes were unique between the small and large.
There where only a three seafood dishes on the large plates menu, and two of them were Tuna. The other was a scallop dish.
I opted for the Pacific Albacore dish. Grilled with a yam mashed potato side.
It wasn't great. I am pretty sure the fish was previously frozen. The yams, which I don't generally like, where very good.
My date went for the small plate option. She had the Elk Lumpia, baked Tofu and cold crab salad.
The tofu was ok, a bit mushy for my liking, but it was good quality tofu. The cold crab salad was pretty good. It wasn't what I expected though. It came on a small plate, with about 6 ounces of Crab. Underneath the crab was some lettuce and beet I believe. You couldn't see the greens though, It was like a hamburger, with the lettuce being the bottom bun.
She had tried the lumpia before, and said it wasn't as good this time. The meat was a bit old she thought. I didn't try it obviously.
By the time we finished, the restaurant was packed. This place is very trendy apparently.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Friday, January 25, 2008
Pike Place Chowder - Pacific Place
I am so sick of the food in this neighborhood. I've been working here for 8 years now and I am just so dang sick of the food options. My favorite noodle house is too far to walk too when its 34 degrees out. The Pita express is good once a week. Thats about where I am at now. In fact, sometimes I just don't eat lunch at all and then leave work a bit early to grab Ivars fish and chips on the way to the ferry. Ivars is the best and has been all my life.
Today I decided to walk across the street to Pacific Place. I went to the food court on the top floor and looked around. Johnny Rockets, no. Wild Ginger, no. The mexican place does a decent fish taco, but I decided to try my luck with Pike Place Chowder.
Unfortunately, too many restaurants put Chicken stock in their chowder, so that was out. Although, they did have a vegan chowder. It had lime, coconut, curry and veggies. Interesting, perhaps another day.
I ordered the large order of Pacific Cod Fish and Chips ($9.95 ouch). The large fish and chips contained three decent size fillets on a bed of fries. I grabbed three tartars and headed back to work.
The fish was good quality and the breading was light and crunch. Unfortunately, the fish was a touch undercooked. Not raw, but it could have used a few more minutes. The Fries were also undercooked. A few of them were a bit raw and crunchy... most were just plain soggy and limp. The tartar sauce lacked any flavor. It was basically mayonnaise.
I did manage to get my fill, but Ivars still rules the fish and chips world, for a third of the price.
I would consider coming back to try the vegan chowder and perhaps the Wild salmon and chips or prawns and chips some time.
UPDATE:
after I left work I felt pretty ill. I was sick for a few hours after. I couldnt figure it out, but now I think it must have been the tartar sauce that was sitting out on the counter all day... ugh.
Today I decided to walk across the street to Pacific Place. I went to the food court on the top floor and looked around. Johnny Rockets, no. Wild Ginger, no. The mexican place does a decent fish taco, but I decided to try my luck with Pike Place Chowder.
Unfortunately, too many restaurants put Chicken stock in their chowder, so that was out. Although, they did have a vegan chowder. It had lime, coconut, curry and veggies. Interesting, perhaps another day.
I ordered the large order of Pacific Cod Fish and Chips ($9.95 ouch). The large fish and chips contained three decent size fillets on a bed of fries. I grabbed three tartars and headed back to work.
The fish was good quality and the breading was light and crunch. Unfortunately, the fish was a touch undercooked. Not raw, but it could have used a few more minutes. The Fries were also undercooked. A few of them were a bit raw and crunchy... most were just plain soggy and limp. The tartar sauce lacked any flavor. It was basically mayonnaise.
I did manage to get my fill, but Ivars still rules the fish and chips world, for a third of the price.
I would consider coming back to try the vegan chowder and perhaps the Wild salmon and chips or prawns and chips some time.
UPDATE:
after I left work I felt pretty ill. I was sick for a few hours after. I couldnt figure it out, but now I think it must have been the tartar sauce that was sitting out on the counter all day... ugh.
Friday, November 30, 2007
Pita Express - 8th and Stewart, Seattle
ahh, the eternal quest for a Falafel. Truly one of the tastiest vegetarian lunches.
There was a great place in the old Bon parking garage on 3rd, but it closed a year ago. Then Falafel King opened up to much hype down on 1st by the market. I tried it, but I wasn't very satisfied.
Then, in the funky little spot next to Subway and the bagel shop, a new Pita restaurant opened last month. Nothing in this location ever seems to make it, but this place is the best thing to open here.
I tried the Falafel a week after it opened. I figured it was still new, and they may be working out the bugs. It was great. I tried it again today and it was still great! Consistency is so important.
Not much to say about the Falafel, its a standard Falafel, but the ingredients are fresh and the hot sauce is good. My favorite Falafel in Seattle.
There was a great place in the old Bon parking garage on 3rd, but it closed a year ago. Then Falafel King opened up to much hype down on 1st by the market. I tried it, but I wasn't very satisfied.
Then, in the funky little spot next to Subway and the bagel shop, a new Pita restaurant opened last month. Nothing in this location ever seems to make it, but this place is the best thing to open here.
I tried the Falafel a week after it opened. I figured it was still new, and they may be working out the bugs. It was great. I tried it again today and it was still great! Consistency is so important.
Not much to say about the Falafel, its a standard Falafel, but the ingredients are fresh and the hot sauce is good. My favorite Falafel in Seattle.
Samba Room 1460 Larimer - Denver
My favorite restaurant in Denver.
Yes, I know that Chilean Sea Bass is endangered from over fishing off south america, but twice a year, I must have it and Samba Room does it right...
Samba Room is a Cuban themed restaurant. Its also very trendy and expensive. I wouldn't go here if it wasn't a client dinner, which means I get reimbursed for the expense.
We entered the restaurant around 7 pm on Wed Night. The place was packed. We were taken to a table within minutes.
Soon after seating, our waiter showed up and introduced himself, then he holds out two bottles of water and asks us if we would like some imported water. We both declined his offer. I ordered my favorite beer, TaHuey, from Puerto Rico. The waiter didn't seem to know what this is, even though I have had it here many times in the past. He went to the bar and discovered they no longer carried that beer. bummer, its the only place I have ever seen that beer.
I ordered, of course, Chilean Seabass “Enchilado” - Pan Seared, Roasted and Served with a Cilantro Shrimp Orzo and a Creole Latin Style Sauce. I have had this dish at least 3 other times, and each time its been spectacular. This time it was even better! The sauce was spicier that previous visits, it really brought out the best in the dish.
Carrie ordered a box dinner, some sort of special they were running during the film festival going on in the Larimer neighborhood. Her dish came with a salad, so I thought I will get a dinner salad so we can eat salad together.
The waiter approaches the table with something wrapped in a towel. He opens the towel and carefully sets a chilled fork down in front of me. The chilled fork is for my salad. Carrie did not get a chilled fork. My salad came a few minutes later, Carries did not. Apparently her salad is served with her dinner. Kinda odd, and when her dinner and salad came, she did not get a chilled fork! Frankly, thats a bit silly.
The whole service was silly. Who are they catering for, obviously very rich people who are better than anyone else. The poor waiter was trying soooo hard. I tipped him just under 20%... sucker!
Yes, I know that Chilean Sea Bass is endangered from over fishing off south america, but twice a year, I must have it and Samba Room does it right...
Samba Room is a Cuban themed restaurant. Its also very trendy and expensive. I wouldn't go here if it wasn't a client dinner, which means I get reimbursed for the expense.
We entered the restaurant around 7 pm on Wed Night. The place was packed. We were taken to a table within minutes.
Soon after seating, our waiter showed up and introduced himself, then he holds out two bottles of water and asks us if we would like some imported water. We both declined his offer. I ordered my favorite beer, TaHuey, from Puerto Rico. The waiter didn't seem to know what this is, even though I have had it here many times in the past. He went to the bar and discovered they no longer carried that beer. bummer, its the only place I have ever seen that beer.
I ordered, of course, Chilean Seabass “Enchilado” - Pan Seared, Roasted and Served with a Cilantro Shrimp Orzo and a Creole Latin Style Sauce. I have had this dish at least 3 other times, and each time its been spectacular. This time it was even better! The sauce was spicier that previous visits, it really brought out the best in the dish.
Carrie ordered a box dinner, some sort of special they were running during the film festival going on in the Larimer neighborhood. Her dish came with a salad, so I thought I will get a dinner salad so we can eat salad together.
The waiter approaches the table with something wrapped in a towel. He opens the towel and carefully sets a chilled fork down in front of me. The chilled fork is for my salad. Carrie did not get a chilled fork. My salad came a few minutes later, Carries did not. Apparently her salad is served with her dinner. Kinda odd, and when her dinner and salad came, she did not get a chilled fork! Frankly, thats a bit silly.
The whole service was silly. Who are they catering for, obviously very rich people who are better than anyone else. The poor waiter was trying soooo hard. I tipped him just under 20%... sucker!
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
eating on the coast
Its not easy to find a decent restaurant on the Washington coast. Crappy food and crappier service would be the best way to describe the experience...
Windjammer - Pacific City- this is the officers club on the navy base. Food was horrible, service was decent. The ambience was that of a school cafeteria.
Patties Perch - Pacific City - Posted in at least 4 places outside this tiny diner, NO PARTIES OVER SIX. Obviously they can't handle any more than 6 at a time... The menu had very few things on it, I ordered a ham and cheese omelet without the ham.. they screwed it up, but gave me my new one for free.. Service was horrible and the food was slightly better. Actually, the omelet was cooked well, but it had more cheese than egg.. the hash browns were burned.
The Waves - Best Western Hotel - Ocean Shores - My mother loves the Crab Louie and after eating greasy crud all trip, this sounded like my best option. It was great. Funny because our hotel manager told us this place was "shakey" not sure what that means, but it was good. Service was good, and the salad was full of fresh Dungeness Crab. I was pleased. The Hotel manager had suggested the restaurant at the Ramada, raving about the salad bar. We went there and it contained maybe 4 items in the salad bar. It had less than the Qwest cafeteria to offer so we left.
Cadillac Jacks - Ocean Shores - Crappy food and service. good bloody mary though.
speaking of bloody marys. When in Westport to watch the Seahawks game, we visited Anthonys, (no relation to the excellent chain in seattle area) I ordered a bloody mary. The thing came back with a Pepperoni stick in it! No, not Pepperocini, which you expect, but a damn stick of meat and a cube of cheese.. WTF??? i have never had an issue, being a vegetarian, with ordering drinks.. From now on I will have to ask for a vegetarian drink menu...
She reluctantly took my drink back, resisting the urge to just pull the stick out of the drink.. but, it didn't matter as there was so much horse radish in the mix, you might as well used it for dipping your steak in.
all in all, we didn't eat very well. but the ocean still is a wonderful place to be.
Windjammer - Pacific City- this is the officers club on the navy base. Food was horrible, service was decent. The ambience was that of a school cafeteria.
Patties Perch - Pacific City - Posted in at least 4 places outside this tiny diner, NO PARTIES OVER SIX. Obviously they can't handle any more than 6 at a time... The menu had very few things on it, I ordered a ham and cheese omelet without the ham.. they screwed it up, but gave me my new one for free.. Service was horrible and the food was slightly better. Actually, the omelet was cooked well, but it had more cheese than egg.. the hash browns were burned.
The Waves - Best Western Hotel - Ocean Shores - My mother loves the Crab Louie and after eating greasy crud all trip, this sounded like my best option. It was great. Funny because our hotel manager told us this place was "shakey" not sure what that means, but it was good. Service was good, and the salad was full of fresh Dungeness Crab. I was pleased. The Hotel manager had suggested the restaurant at the Ramada, raving about the salad bar. We went there and it contained maybe 4 items in the salad bar. It had less than the Qwest cafeteria to offer so we left.
Cadillac Jacks - Ocean Shores - Crappy food and service. good bloody mary though.
speaking of bloody marys. When in Westport to watch the Seahawks game, we visited Anthonys, (no relation to the excellent chain in seattle area) I ordered a bloody mary. The thing came back with a Pepperoni stick in it! No, not Pepperocini, which you expect, but a damn stick of meat and a cube of cheese.. WTF??? i have never had an issue, being a vegetarian, with ordering drinks.. From now on I will have to ask for a vegetarian drink menu...
She reluctantly took my drink back, resisting the urge to just pull the stick out of the drink.. but, it didn't matter as there was so much horse radish in the mix, you might as well used it for dipping your steak in.
all in all, we didn't eat very well. but the ocean still is a wonderful place to be.
Monday, August 27, 2007
The Bushwacker - Hwy 101 Port Angeles
This place was right next door to the hotel my friend and I stayed in last Saturday night. We were tired and didn't want to drive, so there we went.
It was fancier than I imagined for a restaurant on hwy 101 next to an RV dealership and a moderately priced Hotel.
The menu was rather limited, they had 6 or so cuts of meat, and maybe 10 seafood dishes.
My date had the crab cakes, I had a bite and thought they were average, but my sampling was limited. They were big though, and it came with a sizable helping of Garlic Mashed Potatoes.
I had the seafood fettucine and it was darn good. Loaded with ocean Scallops, prawns, wild salmon, clams and mussels. There could have been a bit more pasta, but the meal was good. The cream sauce was great, I couldn't determine what was in it, but it was kinda tangy.
They have a salad bar, but neither of us visited it.
I would come back here again, if I had the money, as I mentioned before it was a bit more than I like to pay for dinner. Entrees were all over $20.
It was fancier than I imagined for a restaurant on hwy 101 next to an RV dealership and a moderately priced Hotel.
The menu was rather limited, they had 6 or so cuts of meat, and maybe 10 seafood dishes.
My date had the crab cakes, I had a bite and thought they were average, but my sampling was limited. They were big though, and it came with a sizable helping of Garlic Mashed Potatoes.
I had the seafood fettucine and it was darn good. Loaded with ocean Scallops, prawns, wild salmon, clams and mussels. There could have been a bit more pasta, but the meal was good. The cream sauce was great, I couldn't determine what was in it, but it was kinda tangy.
They have a salad bar, but neither of us visited it.
I would come back here again, if I had the money, as I mentioned before it was a bit more than I like to pay for dinner. Entrees were all over $20.
Bainbridge Restaurants....
I quickly decided that I cannot review any restaurants on Bainbridge since I am now a resident of this micro Bellevue community...
However, I do have to give a shout out the Emmys Vege House. Great Great Great, I just discovered the Spring Rolls there. Super!
and lastly, Martha down at Docs is putting up some great Breakfast every morning. I had the best omelet ever down there last week. Hashbrowns cooked to perfection!
and the rest?? well, IF I have another good meal on the rock, I might mention it..
However, I do have to give a shout out the Emmys Vege House. Great Great Great, I just discovered the Spring Rolls there. Super!
and lastly, Martha down at Docs is putting up some great Breakfast every morning. I had the best omelet ever down there last week. Hashbrowns cooked to perfection!
and the rest?? well, IF I have another good meal on the rock, I might mention it..
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