Taco Slime

Restaurant name: Taco Time
Food type:  Fast food Mexican
Category:  A good go-to for fast food, not healthy, but we can all find something we like there
Reason for dining out:  Truly a need for fast food... had a three hour window in which I needed to go to the DMV, get a vacuum cleaner fixed, pick up a special order CD, get a library book on hold, and go grocery shopping.  Didn't have time to call for a prescription refill though...
Bonus features:  None
Food ordered:  Crisp beef burrito
Items of inspiration: None
Chance of repeat visit: Yes

You know you're hungry when you start seeing ANY place thinking "that sounds good".  I thought that when I saw McDonald's, Red Robin, etc. etc.  No time for anything else today... Taco Time was the best option.  It served it's purpose.  That is all.

Note:  Their super-cool new soda machine that makes 100+ combinations of soda may be a huge draw for The Guys, but not for me!  It makes every soda taste like it has a lingering lime flavor... and not the lime that is in Diet Coke with lime... more like lime candy.  Or cherry candy.  Gross.  I won't order a drink here anymore, even though they do sell Coke products.

Chuck E. Cheese

Restaurant name: Chuck E. Cheese
Food type:  "Italian" but, like RFC, it's Disneyland without the rides
Category: Frequent lunch spot in the past... we don't go as often as we used to.
Reason for dining out:  Birthday party
Bonus features:  A Chuck E. Cheese birthday party without the Chuck E. Cheese price.  And I smuggled in my own Diet Coke.  Big Guy claimed it was the best most awesomeest birthday party ever, so major parent point scores.  And we're not there anymore... best bonus feature of them all!
Food ordered:  3 large pizzas, one cheese, one sausage, and one pepperoni.  Also got an unlimted salad party but we'll use it another time.
Items of inspiration: None... none... none... none
Chance of repeat visit: Likely with friends... never just on our own.

The Big Guy wanted his birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. Thanks to the magic of couponing, I was able to provide him a nice party of his dreams at about 2/3 the cost of the Chuck E. Cheese official party cost and was able to give our guests so much more, including food and drinks for all kids and adults as well as all the tokens we could throw at them.  It was a wonderful party with good friends and a good time, if a more than slightly overstimulated time, was had by all. 

In the mornings, this is actually a great place to take the kids.  Yes, I know they serve pizza.  By the way, their draw right now is a "new pizza recipe".  It's not good.  I actually think the old recipe was better.  That wasn't great, but was better than what you'd expect.  The new recipe is gross, but no one goes here for the pizza.  Anyway, the mornings are a great time because they aren't crowded, it's a bit quieter, and the kids get lots of free tickets as they test the machines.  We go, order lunch at 11:30, then leave when the "lunch crowds" come in.  It used to be a nice oasis.  I would actually sit and do Bible study while my kids played and played.  And all the while I'd be sipping on my caffeine free diet coke (and they had cherry coke on tap which is a huge plus for The Critic).  Well, back in March, they switched to the dark side.  Pepsi.  Ugh.  And no Diet Dr. Pepper either.  Boo and boo.  Guess what?  We don't go nearly as often anymore...

Happy Birthday Big Guy!

The Big Guy hits the big 5+1 today, so he picks the dining out.  Two places... Olive Garden lunch for never ending pasta bowl and Red Robin, because, well, they do birthdays right!

Restaurant name: Olive Garden
Food type:  Italian
Category:  Already blogged once... here
Reason for dining out:  Birthday choice (well, he chose pasta... this was easier)
Bonus features:  Never ending pasta bowl... by the time you think about it, it's cheaper than ordering off the menu
Food ordered:  Penne with 5-cheese marinara
Items of inspiration: None, but the pizziola sauce The Big Guy had was YUMMY!
Chance of repeat visit: Yes... please not anytime soon though.

Restaurant name: Red Robin
Food type:  Classic diner food
Category:  Already blogged once... here
Reason for dining out:  Birthday choice
Bonus features:  Joined by good family friends!
Food ordered:  Banzai burger, subbed mac and cheese for fries (won't do that again). Also had the apple pie bites (or the "pie stickers" as The Critic called them). 
Items of inspiration: None.
Chance of repeat visit:  Hopefully we can wait a LONG time... like maybe The Little Guy's birthday next June???

Cactus

Let's get one thing out of the way.  When you get that feeling in your gut that makes no sense, but tells you things are going to go horribly wrong, listen to it.  This has nothing to do with the restaurant!  For reasons completely surprising to me, I just knew the sitter for The Guys was going to fall through inexplicably tonight.  And it did.  Thank goodness for a good friend who let me drop them off VERY last second (and kept them very late).  Our plans for dinner AND a show were not ruined!  In fact, they were wonderful.

Restaurant name:  Cactus on Alki
Food type:  Mexican
Category:  First time
Location:  Seattle Washington (Alki)
Reason for dining out:  Date night
Bonus features:  Meeting up with a good friend.  This means good conversation and the chance to sample MORE food than usual.  Happy!
Food ordered:  Butternut squash enchiladas, chicken fried chicken, brisket tacos, side of asparagus
Items of inspiration:  None, but definitely some options for repeats on another visit
Chance of return:  See response above... I would love to go back.

I have a friend who has a husband in the restaurant industry.  This type of "in" always endears me to a place.  It also helps that this friend gave me a list of what-to-haves.  And she knows her stuff!  The food was delicious.


In general, we're not big Mexican food eaters.  If we are headed there, we like the "fresh-mex" idea.  This food hit on all notes.  Plus it added a certain upscale flair that just made it fun.  Pepitas on the rice for example!  I'm a skip-the-rice-and-beans eater at Mexican.  For the most part I did with these sides as well... but those pepitas, I could have eaten a whole bowl!  Plus I get to throw around words like "pepitas" around The Critic, which just makes me feel like I know what I'm doing.


So when (not if) you go, I'll pass on my friends' words of wisdom.  First, get a mojito.  I didn't, but I hear it's what they are known for.  The Critic had two and he said they were good, but I missed these because, well, I was taking The Guys to be dropped off at a friend's house.... oh just see the prequel to remind yourself at the top of this page. 


Anyway, the chicken fried chicken was featured in Food and Wine magazine.  And it was really good.  Not what you would normally order at a Mexican restaurant.  But when my husband asked if it was good the server swooned and said "Fried chicken with andouille sausage gravy... how can you go wrong?" 

Also a hint from my friend... butternut squash enchiladas.  Oh. My. Word.  They were REALLY good.  The top tortilla is very crunchy, filled with chunks of butternut squash and a hint of goat cheese every now and then... Very hard to describe, too, so just look at the picture below... then head out and try them.  I doubt you will be disappointed.  If I go back, this is what I'm getting.

Well, that is, if my husband gets those brisket tacos.  My favorite of the evening is definitely a toss up between the two.  The onions on the top are slightly pickled, I assume in house.  And that cilantro just really adds an element that makes you think fresh!  The tortillas are really good as well, with enough texture to hold all the innards without being tough to chew through.  I have since heard that they are a part of the seasonal menu and have only been listed for about a week or so.  Nice! 

My final tip... eat on the patio.  It is so worth it on a nice day.  Alki is beautiful in the summer.


All in all, a wonderful dinner.  So glad I had my "in" and found a new place.  We will definitely be back. And for the record, the show was Les Miz and it, too, was fabulous. 

The Rock

A good deal is a good deal.  A good deal with food that tastes great?  Even better.  A good deal with food that tastes great and makes kids cheer?  Win!  Enter, The Rock's all you can eat lunch buffet.

Restaurant name:  The Rock
Food type:  "Italian" (pizza... rock and roll pizza)
Category:  Previously frequented... well, frequently
Location:  Covington, WA
Reason for dining out:  We were going to go post-haircuts, though the haircut place was closed and I already promised it
Bonus features:  Lunch with friends... always fun and, in this case, much easier!
Food ordered:  Buffet which includes pizza, pasta, salad, soup, and soda.  At a price that doesn't break the bank either!
Items of inspiration:  None, other than an inspiration to return!
Chance of return:  Absolutely

This really is the best deal in town.  The biggest problem is they only offer this deal M-F at lunch.  But it is a fun tradition for our family to go on a day when The Critic doesn't have to work.  You get to try all of their pizza options without committing.  And everyone leaves happy (if for no other reason than the dum dum lollipop).  Favorite pizza toppings of mine here include things with their black pepper bacon, anything with their creamy ranch sauce, and their BBQ pizzas as well.  The Big Guy eats slice after slice of pepperoni while The Little Guy feasts on mozzarella bread, melon, and tomato basil soup.  And the diet coke is nearly as tall as me!  I rarely even need one refill.  Plus the green salad comes with, so The Guys get some veggies in them.  All in all, a good deal and a great experience.  Today was no exception.

Payin' For it Cafe

The summer is winding down.  We finally had to trek to the mall (ugh)... new shoes for school, new clothes... plus The Big Guy heads to "real school" this year.  We decided to splurge and take them to the Disneyland for kids to eat at.  Rainforest Cafe.  Or, as we have always called it "The Payin' For it Cafe."

Restaurant name:  Rainforest Cafe
Food type:  American Grill, but really, it's a theme park without the rides
Category:  We're kind of once-a-yearers here
Location:  Southcenter Mall in Tukwila
Reason for dining out:  Splurge to become parents-of-the-year for a couple minutes
Bonus features:  Telling "The Steak Lab" story, getting perks for knowing someone, actually enjoying our time enough to join and become members!
Food ordered:  I got the tomato basil soup.  Finally found something tasty here!
Items of inspiration:  None
Chance of return:  More than likely, but after this visit I'm actually looking forward to it!

Every time we've come to the Rainforest Cafe we've had an experience that makes us wonder why we try, but we know the answer.  Parents bring their kids to a place like this so they can always have a carrot... "Turn in all your homework and we can go to the Rainforest Cafe"  "Eat your peas and I'll take you to RC next week".  Really, the main reason we went tonight was that we had free kids' meals as a result of a tour we did with MOMS Club last summer.  They never expire, so we figured this would be a good chance.  Get some shoes, get some food, get out of there as fast as possible.

When we were seated, they asked us if we knew about their "membership" program.  Yes, I sighed.  I'm well aware.  Most of these places offer perks for joining... eat with them a lot and you get free stuff.  I get free pastries at Panera, the occasional free meal at The Rock, stuff like that.  This is my first gripe with RC... you have to PAY for it here.  See?  Payin' For It Cafe! Well, she points out that their membership is on "special" right now.

Special.  Here's the thing.  I am a SUCKER for saving money.  I'm not going to get on that extreme couponing show, but I have found ways to get what I want for as little as possible.  So she piqued my interest... but not much.  What's the deal?  I ask, skeptically.  She says that the membership is $10.  And she points out that when you get your card in the mail, you get a $10 award.  And that you get 10% off all entrees the night you buy the membership.  Hmmmmmm.... yep.  Sold.  Saving 10% off what we would have paid anyway, plus I can just come in and get $10 worth of stuff and walk out next time.  Yes, that just makes sense to me.  So sign up, we did.

Now here's the fun part.  I love a good customer service review.  The Critic ordered a trio that included steak, shrimp, and coconut shrimp.  The shrimp were both fine, but the steak was SUPER well-done.  Why do they call it that?  It's not "well done".  It's shoe leather.  Steak should be medium at most.  Medium rare is usually perfect.  So The Critic asks "Do I complain about the steak?"  It's flat iron.  I don't know a lot about different meat types, but I do know that flat iron steak is no Kobe beef.  So I ask if they asked him how he wanted it.  "Yes!!  I said medium rare!"  Uh, yes.  Send it back.  There's no question that is NOT medium rare.  So our server sends over a manager to help us out.

That reminds me that I have a friend whose husband was a manager of sorts at Rainforest Cafe.  Though I've never met him, he bears a striking resemblance to my friends' children and my husband asks if they are related.  They sure are!  This strikes up a fun conversation which includes the option of telling the "steak lab" story (be patient, I'll tell it at the end!).  And, long story short, we end up (finally) with a correctly cooked steak, plus additional chicken nuggets and french fries for the kids AND ice cream sundaes!  And a comp for the time it took to get the steak right.  And guess what!  We can no longer call it the "Payin' For it Cafe" because tonight they practically paid us to eat there!  Score for us.  And really, score for them too.  Because now we WANT to go back.  It was a fun dinner... for all of us.

Okay okay okay... I'll tell the steak lab story.

Back approximately 15 years ago, right after I met The Critic, his brother-in-law went to dinner with us at TGI Fridays.  The Critic ordered a steak that came out ridiculously overcooked.  It was practically burnt to a crisp.  After he sent it back, he left the table to go to the restroom and this seemingly quiet brother-in-law showed his mischievous side.  I have since learned that mischievous really is his true colors... this man is a hoot!  Anyway, when they take the plate away and say they are comping the bill, he turns to me and says, "Let's have some fun with this.  Just follow my lead."  The following is the conversation upon The Critic's arrival back.  The stuff of legends....

"Dude.  You're not going to believe this."
"What?"
"They took your steak back and they came back and said there is no way that was overcooked."
"What?!?"
"Seriously!  I know, right?"
"You're kidding right?"
"No!  <totally deadpan> Someone came out and said they had it tested in their steak lab!  They said you're crazy and it met the expectation of a perfect medium rare steak!"

Dead silence.... shock....

Total laughter.

I love that story!

Unicone!

Restaurant name: Unicone
Food type:  Japanese-style crepes
Category:  Been several times
Reason for dining out:  Dessert after lunch on my own
Bonus features:  I could order one that The Critic wasn't as interested in. 
Food ordered:  Banana, whip, choc, cream, custard, cornflake crepe
Items of inspiration: None.  I. Don't. Make. Crepes.
Chance of repeat visit:  Yes please!

The Critic and I found this place right after they opened.  It is amazing and the only problem is that they are usually closed by the time we're ready to eat one (aka after a movie or dinner).  But it is probably my favorite dessert in town right now.  And watching them made is a huge portion of the fun.

First, you look at the awful display of all the types you can order.  The funniest part is that the dessert crepes (which are most of them) are mixed with the savory.  So one minute you're looking at the choc, berry, whip and the next the tuna.  Bleh.  So just get an idea of what you want QUICKLY and move on to the real show.  One you order, they spin out crepe batter until it is very thin and flip it so it's crisp on both sides.  Then they lay out the crepe and fill it.  It is beautifully designed but you can only appreciate it at this point because then they roll the whole thing up so it looks like ice cream in a waffle cone.  So much fun! 

I know the corn flakes seem odd, but you really must try them.  In fact, if you like chocolate and bananas at all, I recommend the one I got today.  Mmm mmm good!

Oh, Joey...

Joey, Joey, Joey's... (at Southcenter).  I'm saying this shaking my head...

Restaurant name: Joey's at Southcenter
Food type:  I think it wants to be California cuisine... it might want to be Vegas.  I'm not sure what it *is* though.
Category:  I have been before but not very often.
Reason for dining out:  Lunch on my own
Bonus features:  Well, the people watching was good for a laugh! The food I ordered tasted good as well.
Food ordered:  Chicken souvlaki with french fries
Items of inspiration: None.
Chance of repeat visit: Not unless someone else decides they want to go.

The Guys and The Critic are away for the weekend, which leaves me with ample time to eat out.  The problem with choosing a place is that most places I want to go would just be more fun if The Critic were with me.  I thought about soup and have my two all-time favorites in Seattle... The Icon Grill has a butternut squash soup that I *love*, but I'm pretty sure they'd be doing their yellow pepper one right now which just doesn't compare.  I also thought about going to Anthony's on Pier 66 for my favorite crab corn chowder, but that just needs to be saved for a date with The Critic.  This led me to think Duke's for chowder/salad, and right next door is Joey's.  Joey's is a place I have always wanted to like.  It seems to have the most "foodie" type of food in the area... branches beyond your Cheesecake Factory or Olive Garden which it's close to.  And whenever The Critic and I think of going, we usually come up with a reason to go somewhere else.  So being in the mood for something a bit fancier than the typical, yet not wanting to take away from a dining experience with The Critic, this seems like a good choice for today.

The food was good and flavorful.  At first glance at the menu I was going to order the panang prawn curry bowl.  But I could hear you complaining about MORE Thai food even before the thought was fully developed.  So I looked on.  I ordered the chicken souvlaki upon recommendation from the server (I gave her the choice between the ahi tacos and the souvlaki and she didn't bat an eye in recommending the souvlaki).  But from here on out, the experience was everything which is so odd about Joey's.

I can't get a feel for the vibe of this place.  It's sort of "wannabe Californian/Vegas".  Western Washington is the king of casual.  So Joey's seems like it wants to attract the young, beautiful, ready-to-party crowd.  It has a swank appearance and has a silly bar menu.  And *all* the servers must pass a rigorous application which includes stiletto walking while holding up a  tray, bending at the waist for dropped napkins, and, well, learning to write your name on the receipt  with little hearts (notice how it helps if your name is "Bailey".  You won't find a name tag that says "Margaret" here).

They don't waste time on pesky details like food knowledge here.  The first time I ever set foot in the restaurant we were looking for a dessert and the hostess raved about the delicious apple crisp made with "local Fiji apples".  Good to know that Fiji is local.  And FYI, they are Fujis... one of The Critic's all time favs.  Today she was singing the praises of the "traditional" souvlaki which included hummus and bruschetta.  I've been to Greece.  I've eaten the hole-in-the-wall-shack souvlaki that is so delicious I still think about it 16 years later (and worth every penny, which wasn't that much).  I'm pretty sure Greece has never heard of hummus and bruschetta on their souvlakis.  But what do I know?  It was good flavor.  Just not what I would have called "traditional". 

I'm just not sure who the audience is supposed to be here.  Well, not true.  I think I saw them today.  At the bar sat 4 guys, probably around 23.  Old enough that it wasn't someone's 21st birthday party in full-swing (at 1:00 in the afternoon).  Young enough that they still think acting this way makes them attractive.  And did I mention it was 1:00 in the afternoon?  Each had approximately 5 drinks in front of them.  Most were obnoxious shades of fluorescent colors... blue, green, and pink come to mind.  At least two were shots.  They sat around with their camera taking pictures of each other with the green one.  Then begging the cute little bartender to join them in photos, I'm sure dreaming of how she was going to abandon all other customers for the chance to spend 5 minutes with such fine young studs.  Quickly the conversation turned, well, inappropriate.  Let's just say these guys were quite proud of their accomplishments in the luv department.  I'm sure they were all true, too.  Not a fish story among them.  Riiiiiight.... And did I mention it was 1:00 in the afternoon?

Needless to say, in my world Joey's is only good for a laugh.  While the food was tasty, the variety was lacking and the cost was sky-high for what you get.  The most endearing trait is its proximity to Unicone, which is an AWESOME place for a dessert/snack.  Stay tuned!

Mango Thai

Okay, okay, okay.  I hear you already.  You're thinking why don't we rename the blog to talk about our Thai food addiction.  Here's the thing though, this wasn't our pick of where to go tonight.  We were invited by our house guest as a farewell to Washington dinner.  And she loves Thai food!  Did she pick the right family to live with for the past 3 months or what?  And on top of all that, Thai food is just unbelievably delicious.  If you don't already know this, you need to get some.  Call me up!  I'll take you to good Thai food.  I promise.  You'll be hooked as well.  So with that, I give you our dinner at Mango Thai.

Restaurant name: Mango Thai
Food type:  Duh, Thai!
Category:  Our first time going.  K gave us insider tips though, as she had been there with her sister.  Hmmm... the gal from IN introducing the WA family to a Thai restaurant in Seattle.  Talk about a switch-up!
Location:  SeaTac, Washington
Reason for dining out:  Farewell dinner for K
Bonus features:  The Guys also ate a good dinner which still surprises me.  Granted I had packed a ton of snacks to get us through, just in case.
Food ordered:  Sate flight, fresh rolls, Pad Sei Ew (one star), Muu Saam Chan, chicken cashew, cod curry, and both brown and white jasmine rice
Items of inspiration: None.  The food is just too delicious and I would never be able to recreate it. 
Chance of repeat visit:  Absolutely!  A GREAT place to stop if you're picking someone up from the airport. 

K has been living with us since May.  The original plan was she was going to stay until the end of September, but she was fortunate enough to get a great job which starts in a little more than a week and, well, we reluctantly said goodbye to her sooner than expected.  This is the second time we've housed someone for the summer.  They work for World Vision, a non-profit Christian mission based organization, and the internship is unpaid.  So we open our home to one intern each summer and, in exchange, get a little bit of babysitting.  But the real benefit is that we make a new friend for life, one who The Guys love and both The Critic and I enjoy talking with late into the evenings.  It's just NICE to have another person in the house.  We have been so fortunate with both experiences and plan to continue as long as we are able to do so in the future.

So this is our swan song for K.  She went to this place with her sister back when we were in Texas and has been looking forward to going with our family, as well as taking J... her boyfriend who was flying in for the trip back. 

The food was DELICIOUS!  We all thought so.  The decor is super swank but they didn't look at us like we had a third eye for bringing in our two Guys with us.  And it is literally steps from the airport.  Very convenient!

Sate flight:  6 skewers of meat, 2 each of chicken, pork, and lamb.  By far the lamb is the best.  Not gamey at all.  It also comes with a couple fresh salad sides, including a cucumber salad which was really good and some pickeled kim-chee"esk" stuff that wasn't spicy, so I can't really call it a kim chee.  The sate sauce is beautifully presented on a white plate and has such a rich color it's nearly orange!  Deep delicious flavor that has obviously been in the works for a long time.  This place takes sate and makes it special. 

Fresh rolls:  In general, our family isn't spring roll eaters.  The Critic can't eat raw green vegetables which, well, makes for a challenge with them!  But this was K's favorite dish from her first visit, so it was imperative we get them.  I thought they were really good, and the kicker is that The Little Guy kept eating and eating them!  Score!  The dipping sauce for them was HEAVEN!  Very flavorful with a sweet/spicy sauce and crunchy nuts in it.  Mmmmmm...

Next up, the ever necessary Pad Sei Ew.  Before we went to dinner I talked with The Little Guy and said, "If you could have one thing for dinner tonight what would it be?"  He said, "You know!"  When I pressed he said, "It's flat...... and it has NOODLES...." And then proceeded to sing the Pad Sei Ew song again (I love that song!).  This particular one was wonderful and met all expectations. 

Both the chicken cashew and the cod curry were ordered by J and K.  They were both quite tasty, fairly typical for what you would expect.  This was my first time having cod curry.  Always good to try new things!

Finally, the Muu Saam Chan.  Oh. My.  I ordered it based on the description thinking it would be like Moo Dade Deaw at Bai Tong, a dish which The Big Guy will eat.  What we got was quite a bit better, as far as the meat goes.  Here's the description:  Crispy pork belly with Chinese broccoli.  Crispy pork belly!  Pork belly!!  Have you had pork belly?  It's just delicious.  This is no exception and with the caramelizing of it to make it crispy, well, as The Critic said, it's meat candy.  The Chinese broccoli is really bok choy, which was a bit too bitter for my taste.  So mostly I (and the rest of us) just picked out the meat candy.  Mmmmmm... very very good.

Definitely a good experience.  The only disappointment is that eating here signifies that K really is on her way back home.  We wish her the best and thank her for being in our family for the past 3 months.

Romio's Pizza and PASTA!

It was not my intent to eat out again today.  I was actually looking forward to Thai leftovers for lunch, but I needed to be out of the house while some work was being done and, well, I was hungry!  So I went to Romio's again but for pasta this time... their four-cheese baked spaghetti.

Restaurant name: Romio's
Food type:  Italian
Category: They know us when we walk in the door.  Literally!  She asked why my family wasn't with me and it made me happy.
Location:  Renton, Washington
Reason for dining out:  "Hangry" me... and needed to be out of the house
Bonus features:  Being recognized as a regular was REALLY fun.
Food ordered:  Four-cheese baked spaghetti which comes with a garden salad (I had bleu cheese dressing and no olives) and garlic bread.  Plus a diet coke.
Items of inspiration: Adding feta to spaghetti is delicious
Chance of repeat visit:  Absolutely, but I think I've OD'd on this spaghetti and will stick to pizza with the fam.


This four cheese baked spaghetti is really something out.  First, it comes to you as an inferno.  It takes a good 10 min. before it's cool enough to think about eating.  But the four cheeses make it so good.  I'm sure there's mozzarella and provolone... guessing the third might be parmesan?  But the fourth is the yummy one... feta.  Apparently you can get it with cheddar.  I never have.  The feta adds a salty taste to it and it really does make it special.

The problem is that the spaghetti isn't as good as I remember it being, and this is the second time in a row I have been a bit disappointed.  It lacks salt, but even with that, it's just not as good as it used to be.  I'm paying more for a plate of molten four cheeses than the spaghetti underneath, which is kind of mushy and, unfortunately, tastes a bit like that canned garbage.  But this should be easy enough to recreate at home.

Incidentally as I'm typing this I have a recollection of an Italian restaurant that used to be in Fairwood about 10 years ago, where the Round Table Pizza is now.  It had something called the "Pizzasta" which was a combination of pepperoni pizza and spaghetti.  It was DELICIOUS and The Critic and I used to crave that.  We've never found anything like it anywhere else... Sad.

4-year-old Thai Fanatic

The Little Guy has always been our adventurous eater.  Maybe it's because he's a laid-back personality (most of the time).  Maybe it's because he didn't have food allergies and we didn't have to be particularly careful about what went in his mouth.  Maybe it's having an older, less adventurous big-guy eater to encourage us to do things differently.  Whatever the reason, when The Big Guy is away, The Little Guy and I go out to eat.  He's my Junior Coach Bag Foodie without a doubt.  So today for lunch we enjoyed a plate of Pad Si Ew.  I didn't know a 4-year-old could even say that without wrinkling his nose... but The Little Guy was in HEAVEN!

Restaurant name: Thai 65
Food type:  Duh, Thai!
Category:  This is lower on the "venture to Thai restaurant" list, but it's good food, not too expensive, usually quick service, and the location was right on this particular day.
Location:  Renton, Washington
Reason for dining out:  Date with my "Little Guy Foodie"
Bonus features:  Little Guy chopstick usage.  SO sweet!  They also had a bouncy rocking horse for him to ride while we waited for the food.
Food ordered:  Crab wontons and Pad Si Ew (no stars)
Items of inspiration: None, other than the chopstick hint
Chance of repeat visit:  More than likely, but probably as another date with The Little Guy.

We started with the crab wontons which had a cream cheese center.  They were good, but not fantastic and truth be told, we both would have been happier just having the Pad Si Ew.  So next time, we'll just get that.  He did say they were super crunchy and extra creamy and the sauce was yummy, but I think more shredded carrots on the side went into his mouth (not a bad thing of course!).

But then the main deal came out... the Pad Si Ew.  He was making up songs about Pad Si Ew... can you think of anything cuter?  I can.  The chopstick usage!  He never picked up his fork... not once.  The chopsticks are those lovely wooden, break 'em apart before you use them kind.  So I didn't break them apart!  They worked just like the plastic "M" looking ones you can buy.  He was in HEAVEN!  He ate three servings full and only stopped because we were needing to get on our way.  Most fun is how expressive he is and how he has everyone in stitches with how great the Pad Si Ew is.  It was moments like this that I hope to remember for a long long time.  Oh if only I could think of a way to post the Pad Si Ew song...

 

Canyons... among others

I had a reunion which makes blogging about our dining out experiences difficult.  While I ate out a lot, a lot of it was a bite here or there and I can't really remember the specifics (no, it wasn't the alcohol speaking).  I need to find a way to blog easily on my phone... my index finger just can't text that fast.

Anyway, the best story came from Canyons in Bothell.  The Critic likes to eat there for their corn fritters with honey butter which resemble the ones we get once a year at the Puyallup Fair.  This time around, they had a special of sea scallops.  I. Love. Sea. Scallops.  Probably my favorite food.  And I order it all the time, but I usually order it in a place that has a few more stars than a place like Canyons.  But I ordered it anyway.  And it was good, but just good.  It was as good as it could be in a place like Canyons.

Did I mention The Little Guy is a foodie-in-training?  Because he is.  Little stinker ate at least 1/3 of the dish, if not more.  And I couldn't even get mad because there is nothing like a 4-year-old saying "Mmmmmmmm!!!!  These scallops are the best scallops I have ever had!!!"  But hands down my favorite moment was when he said to our server (who asked how his macaroni and cheese was) in his adorable little high-pitched voice 4-year-old voice.

"Excuse me?  You need to know that these scallops are the best thing I've had at your restaurant! And did you know that scallops are my very favorite food?"

I think that server is probably still smiling.  I know I am!

A Little Pi for breakfast

Yesterday I had eye surgery.  First time in about 30 years that I can see without contacts or glasses... sort of.  Vision is coming back a bit slower than I had expected.  Nevertheless, this healing day gave The Critic and I a chance to spend a mid-week day together.  And with that, The Guys were at a vacation Bible school.  So we, of course, opted to go out.  Our place of choice is an adorable bakery in White Center that has an awesome story and personal connection.  3.14 bakery.  Get it?  Pi.  Ar ar ar ar ar ar...

Restaurant name: 3.14 Bakery
Food type:  Pies and other baked goods
Category:  We go here because of the owners... personal friends who are living out a dream.  The food is yummy, too.
Location:  White Center, Washington
Reason for dining out:  Date with my Critic... at breakfast time!
Bonus features:  Getting to chat with my good friend Jessica Haury who has opened this place to fulfill her dream
Food ordered:  Cake balls and sausage roll.  The Critic also had some coconut pie.
Items of inspiration: None... I'm not a baker!
Chance of repeat visit:  Absolutely... just wish it was a bit closer.

Here's the story behind 3.14, in a nutshell.  Jessica and I used to teach together.  She's still there, but at a Thanksgiving dinner where she provides the desserts, she mentions casually to her family that it would be neat to open a bakery someday.  Less than a year later, the doors of 3.14 Bakery open.  We were there on that first day, making just after they had closed up shop.  But being friends (and customers) we were graciously allowed in and The Guys still remember their cookies and "buttons" (don't you dare call them muffin tops!).

I recently saw a post from Jessica about how she was doing a field trip of baking apple pies and quickly arranged for my MOMS Club group to go on a field trip as well.  Trouble is, they picked a day when I can't make it.  I was sad, and then I saw a post about Jessica trying to figure out a fun way to celebrate their one-year anniversary.  How is it possible they have been open for a year and we haven't been back?  When the occasion presented itself, it was a no-brainer.  The Critic and I needed to head back.

You will never hear me say a critical thing about this bakery.  You won't find specialty wedding cakes with fancy fondant or huge monstrous decorations on them (at least not yet).  What you will find are cakes, cookies, pies, and other treats which taste homemade.  I can't tell you how much I love that in a restaurant.  It just doesn't have that commercial bakery feel.  And it's worth the drive.  I loved the chocolate cake balls most this time and I still remember the cupcake/icing we had a year ago.  Go!  And help my friend eventually leave her classroom to pursue her dream full-time!

McD's again

I figure its actually a sign of REALLY good parenting if the last day we went to a McDonald's was over a month ago, especially considering its summer and given the number of vacations we've been on.  But I didn't pack a lunch, spent the morning off playing with *my* friends, and had to make a last minute decision about lunch.  So I said we'd eat out one time this week, their choice of where.  Guess what they picked.  The Guys were thrilled to get some Smurf (or "Snurf", as The Little Guy calls it) toys.  I was okay with it because it was cool and indoors for a while.  But really, that food is just NOT good and should probably be outlawed. 

Restaurant name: McDonald's
Food type:  Oh please.  If you don't know... well, I kind of envy you.  Fast food.
Category: First Time Ever!  (yeah right)
Location:  Maple Valley, Washington
Reason for dining out:  "Hangry" Guys post VBS
Bonus features:  Really, there were none.  Cool air?
Food ordered:  Hamburger sans pickle (handed to The Little Guy) and some of a small french fry.
Items of inspiration: Really?  REALLY?  Do I really need to ask?  No!
Chance of repeat visit:  Never!  (yeah right)

Olive Garden

The Critic and The Guys were away for the weekend.  When they returned, we decided to do a dinner out.  Restaurant of choice this time... Olive Garden.  Surprisingly delicious if you don't go too often!

Restaurant name:  Olive Garden
Food type:  Italian
Category:  We have been known to eat there several times, yes.
Location:  Tukwila, Washington
Reason for dining out:  Famished and just back from vacation
Bonus features:  The Big Guy ate TWO kids' meals.  They comped us one.  That was a huge huge score for us.
Food ordered:  I got the mussels which is an appetizer, but got it as my entree.  Note to self.  The Little Guy loves mussels and will easily eat them with me.  No need to waste money on the macaroni and cheese he will only eat half of.  P.S.  The bread sticks are delicious when dipped in the broth.

We had a good time.  The food was very tasty.  Like I said, The Big Guy came with a hearty appetite which has me fearing for the teenage years.  I'm guessing this blog will take a drastic change at that point.  Either we won't eat out much as a family or The Critic and I will plan to eat out alone.  Or we'll take money out of the retirement fund.  One of those.

Anyway, the disappointment was largely around the kids meals.  They changed their menu.  Boo!  We loved this place for the kids' pasta with broccoli and grilled chicken.  I distinctly remember the day The Big Guy first had it and first started eating broccoli.  That plate of food was $5.50 which is pricey for a kids' meal, but since he loved it and ate every bite, it was worth it.  That item is no longer on the kids' menu.  Instead, they have "create your own pasta" for $5.50.  Pasta and sauce choice.  Then the protein (i.e. the grilled chicken in our case) costs an extra $1.25.  All kids' meals come with a side now, but the choice includes broccoli and grapes (and our kids will always pick grapes).  Oh, they could have chosen mashed potatoes.  Not sure where that idea came from.  So they got grapes.  There were 9 of them.  Really.  When the kids' meal came, I immediately noticed how tiny it was.  He wolfed it down before anyone could ask if we wanted a refill on our drinks.  Well, that gets me to the other beef... the service was HORRIBLY slow.  And that's saying something for me to think so!  Anyway, we ordered him a second one which he also ate all of.  By that time, everyone else at the table had finished and we just sat there waiting for his second plate of food to come.  It was quite sad, really.  He was SO hungry.

The good news is that survey that they put on the end of the bill that you never really do?  Yeah, I'll be doing that.  At this rate, my "Big" 5 year old will have to eat off the adult menu!

But the mussels really are delicious.  I do love those!