Dining atop the Space Needle

You don't go to a rotating restaurant for the food, right? People will come to enjoy the city view whether the food's good or not. So I had very low expectations a year ago, the first time I ate at the Sky City Restaurant, located atop Seattle's most iconic landmark. Soon after I moved here, my neighbor recommended that I eat lunch there if I wanted to go up to Space Needle's observation deck, because admission is included with a meal, and the price to get to the observation deck alone was a steep $19. It was good advice, and my lunch was great. But since Chris was working, he missed out, and he's the biggest Space Needle fan in the family.

So last weekend we returned for brunch to celebrate Chris's birthday, and it was fantastic. It's $49.95 per adult ($15.95 for kids), so not cheap, but then again, I wasn't hungry for the rest of the day. Also, Chris had joined the restaurant's Celebration Club, and received a certificate for a free brunch, so it ended up being merely expensive instead of ridiculous.

And anyway, the food was fantastic. The veggies in my scrambled egg were amazingly flavorful. The orange juice is fresh squeezed. The silver is replaced as you use it. Lovely!

Brunch includes a starter, a main course, and a dessert, as well as juice, coffee, and an assortment of breads. Unlike at some fancy restaurants, portions are generous, so beware. Here's our food.

Starter: Tomato bisque:

Chris and Oscar got house-made bacon, served over brioche toast:

Wild mountain huckleberry pancakes:

Kurabuta ham and cheese omelet:

Spring garden scramble:

Huckleberry cheesecake:

Blueberry cobbler with Snoqualmie gourmet vanilla bean ice cream:

In short, I would happily visit Sky City Restaurant without the view. But the view is, of course, spectacular. And since it's the Space Needle's 50th birthday, it's a great time to visit. There's some very cool memorabilia on display in the observation deck lobby, and retro tchotchkes for sale in the gift shop.

'Zaw Artisan Pizza

I had surgery yesterday and can't eat solid food for a while. But that didn't stop me from buying today's Seattle Groupon deal: $15 for $30 worth of of 'Zaw pizza. When you cash in your Groupon, you get a punch card for $10 off on three pizzas, and you have to use it on three visits.

Of the pizza I've tasted in Seattle over the past year, 'Zaw is my favorite. Here's how much I love 'Zaw: My oven was broken for the entire summer, and the only reason this irritated me is that I couldn't get 'Zaw pizza, because you have to bake it at home. I recently had the oven repaired and got two 'Zaw pizzas that week.

What makes 'Zaw so good? First off, you can order it on the Internet and choose a pick-up time. Second, you could also have it delivered (they use bikes or scooters to have less negative environmental impact). Third, their produce and tomato sauce is organic, and they use local suppliers. But most importantly, their pizzas are interesting and delicious. There are so many combinations I'd like to try: Farmstand Veggie with oven-roasted summer squash, walla walla onions, large summer tomato slices, and mozzarella on ruby red sauce, finished with parmesan, basil, and fresh ground pepper; Cowardly Apricot with chicken breast, two styles of apricots, basil, and caramelized onion, with gorgonzola and mozzarella on an olive oil-painted crust; Shroom Fest with gently sautéed portabella, button, and crimini mushrooms, roasted red onion, fresh thyme, garlic, and asiago and mozzarella. But I love the Big Fat Greek (spinach, sundried tomatoes, roasted garlic, kalamata olives and free-range marinated chicken served on a base of housemade pesto, feta and mozzarella, with fresh oregano on top) so much that I keep ordering that one. And in case you were wondering, there are lots of meaty options as well.

I can't wait until I can eat 'Zaw pizza again. If you're not suffering from dietary restrictions, I urge you to order a high-end pizza today so I can eat it vicariously. And get the Groupon, because they're not cheap!

Tilth

Mother's Day is probably the one of the most popular days to eat out at a nice restaurant. Count me in! I got a reservation for an early dinner (brunch was booked, alas!) at Tilth, a neighborhood place featuring organic, locally sourced food. Besides having delicious cuisine, it's a super cute place, located in a green Craftsman house with a lovely outdoor eating area and excellent service. According to the restaurant's website, Tilth was voted one of the best new restaurants in the country in 2008. Its executive chef and owner, Maria Hines, is a James Beard Award winner for Best Chef of the Northwest, as well as one of Food & Wine Magazine’s 10 Best New Chefs of 2005.

Luckily, it was a beautiful sunny day, so we got to eat outside. We opted to get the five-course tasting menu; I got the vegetarian version and Chris and Oscar got the carnivore version. The first course, savory apple soup with a gruyere and caramelized onion-topped crouton, was Chris and Oscar's favorite. My favorite was the second course, roasted garlic flan with cauliflower, green onion, and caper. I also had carnaroli risotto with firm chunks of carrot, stinging nettle, and pine nuts and house-made potato gnocchi with English peas, morel mushrooms, and lemon thyme. (Oscar and Chris had sablefish and hangar steak for the last two courses.) For dessert, we got chocolate ganache cake with cocoa cream and a salt-topped chocolate cookie the size of a pencil eraser. It was a great meal, and even Oscar ate most everything, and at least tried everything.

Tilth's menu changes monthly, which makes me think it might be a good idea to visit at least seasonally! I'm still determined to eat brunch there one of these days. I need a special occasion. Or a visitor! Anyone?!

Teacher love at Kidd Valley

It's hard to be a non-meat-eater in a meat-loving family, so I'm always looking for options that we'll all like. Since I also try not to eat fried foods (i.e., the fish sandwich is usually not a good option for me), it can be difficult in an on-the-run situation to find anything that I want to eat. My favorite fast-food place in Wallingford is Kidd Valley for one reason: It serves genuine, original-style Garden Burger-brand garden burgers, which I find infinitely superior to the dreaded Boca burgers, and most other veggie or black bean burgers. Kidd Valley's hamburgers, fries, and onion rings are also Oscar- and Chris-approved, and their shakes -- hand-mixed with seasonal fruit, chocolate, or vanilla -- are reknowned.

Since it's spring break week here in Seattle, it's an excellent time to visit Kidd Valley with the kids, and while you're there, make sure you have them nominate their favorite Washington teacher for Kidd Valley Teacher of the Year. (Entries must be received by May 20, and you can also enter online, mail them in, or submit them at any Kidd Valley restaurant.) The winning teacher will get a $500 gift card for school supplies, and the student who nominated him or her will get a Kidd Valley Burger Party. My kid hates to write, and especially hates essays, but evidently he really loves his Japanese teacher because he immediately took an entry form -- unprompted -- and filled it out, including specific examples of why his teacher is the best. Good luck, Ms. McDonald!

Nook

Nook -- on scrubby University Way & 50th in the U District -- mostly serves one thing: biscuits. Fluffy, buttery, delicious biscuits. Biscuits with sausage gravy; biscuits with mushroom gravy; biscuits with bacon, egg, cheddar and tomato jam; biscuits with ham, egg, and cheese (with dijon or jalapenos optional); biscuits with goat cheese spread, tomato jam, and egg; biscuits with ham, brie, and arugula-pesto. You can even get a plain buttermilk biscuit with jam. There's also homemade soup and chili if you don't like biscuits (i.e., if you're crazy!).

The biscuits alone are basically irresistible, but Nook itself is as well. From its owl logo to the cheerful aqua wainscoting and jam jar light fixtures and snug booths, it's the epitome of hipster chic.

Unfortunately, all this irresistibility has a price. As in, you better get there early (I suggest arriving when it opens at 9, Wednesday through Sunday). And the competition for the four booths and four counter stools is pretty fierce as well. Nook closes when it sells out of biscuits (and from what I hear, it always sells out). Get there before noon on a weekend, or you're probably out of luck.

Happy Pi Day!

Today is Pi Day -- 3.14! If you're thinking "We never had Pi Day when I was a kid," you're right, because it was created in 1988 by a San Francisco Exploratorium physicist and was recognized by the U.S. House of Representatives as a holiday in 2009. Last year, Oscar's 5th grade class celebrated by eating a bunch of parent-supplied pies.

I'm gonna take this opportunity to mention my favorite Wallingford cafe, Irwin's, which has couches and armchairs to curl up on on this cold, rainy day, as well as great sandwiches, pizza, and quiche, but above all else, amazing pie. Specifically, marionberry pie, served warm with fresh whipped cream. It's heavenly. There are three Irwin's locations in Seattle, so if you live near one, I suggest you celebrate Pi Day there.

Blue C Sushi

Blue C Sushi is the McDonald's of sushi. Just like a McDonald's hamburger satisfies a different craving than a handmade burger grilled on a barbecue does, Blue C Sushi fulfills a different niche than a fine sushi house. Like McDonald's, it is a 5-star destination for children, young and old. They have some crazy sushi, such as the St. Patrick's Day rolls on green pedestals that are currently offered. Besides a daily happy hour, happy hour goes from 4 to close on Thursdays and Sundays, at least at the two locations I've been to in U-Village and Fremont (there are six restaurants in the Seattle area).

The big appeal at Blue C is the conveyor belt, snaking around the entire restaurant, by booths and counter seats, covered in America's version of sushi. It's truly mesmerizing and irresistible, even to me. If you do need a server, say to order mochi or drinks, you just push a button that lights up.

After dragging Oscar shoe shopping this weekend, he was in such a foul mood he was barely speaking to me. But Blue C Sushi instantly dissolved his disagreeableness. He loved surveying his options, and selecting the colorful plates of his favorite dishes: shrimp nigiri, kappa maki, pork gyoza, sesame noodles, spring rolls... It was such fun that we selected a lot more plates than I intended. This brings me to how Blue C is not like McDonald's at all. Each color plate has a different price point; the green are $1.50, yellow are $2.75, all the way up to purple, which are $5.50. It all sounds so cheap, but they quickly add up. Sushi is definitely not inexpensive, especially when you're eating with Oscar. But turning your kid's frown upside down is priceless, right?

Modern tuna noodle casserole

Confession: I've always struggled with making dinner. For most of my adult life, I either ate out or made a box of Rice-a-Roni or something equally a) easy and b) not nutritious. Once Oscar came along, I definitely became more health-conscious in my food choices, but not necessarily ambitious. (For example, a microwaved bag of frozen organic brown rice plus a can of black beans is a standard meal for us.) Add devoted carnivore Chris into the mix and it's very rare to find a dish that we all like and will eat together. But occasionally I hit upon a success. This healthy version of tuna noodle casserole is so easy, adaptable, and best of all, tasty that we all like it. It's now in frequent rotation at our house.

Cook 4 cups of whole wheat pasta, such as penne or fusilli
Chop an onion, mix with 2 or 3 cans of drained tuna fish and the cooked pasta
Heat 2 cans of cream of celery or cream of mushroom soup and 1 cup of fat free milk
until smooth, add a cup or so of frozen peas (or whatever you have on hand), 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1 TB Mrs. Dash (or other seasoning).

Mix everything together and put in a 13 x 9 casserole dish, bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Melt some shredded cheese on top (2-4 more minutes), and it's done.

Bakery Nouveau

You might be getting the idea that all I do is eat croissants, but I have to tell you about yet another great French bakery, Bakery Nouveau in West Seattle. It has the best baguettes I've tasted since moving here! But as the saying goes, man does not live by bread alone: Lunch options include quiche, sandwiches such as veggie (kalamata olives, pickles, carrots, cucumber, cream cheese, Italian herbs and provolone cheese on a chibatta roll); turkey and havarti on a croissant; roasted duck on baguette; or a BLT on baguette. Our friend Karen, who first recommended Bakery Nouveau to us, said her favorite is the ham and cheese croissant. I love the Sicilian pizza. Today Chris and Oscar opted for stromboli; it had just come out of the oven when we arrived.

There is a vast array of handmade chocolates on display, and dozens -- maybe hundreds! -- of beautiful tarts, cakes, eclairs, and pastries, and the requisite colorful macarons. Alas, I didn't try any of those, but we did share a twice-baked almond croissant, because many of the tips on foursquare recommended them. It was yummy, but I could've done without all the powdered sugar on top. I saw so many things I'd love to taste! I'll probably never go to West Seattle without stopping here.

Issian: Japanese stone grill

It's hard to believe, but I think it's true: I hadn't had sushi since I moved from San Francisco in JUNE. This past weekend, one of Chris's friends told him that the very best and most authentic izakaya in Seattle was right in our own neighborhood, so last night we tried it for ourselves. Issian is now Chris's favorite Seattle restaurant thus far.

We got there during Happy Hour (4:30-6:30), when you can order yakitori (grilled chicken) and yakiton (grilled pork) for $1 a skewer, gyoza for $3, edamame for $2 -- which is what we started with -- but they also have a bunch of other small plates (seaweed salad, fries with wasabi mayo, crispy chicken wings, agedashi tofu, korokke (croquettes) ...). Obviously you could make a whole meal out of these appetizers, but I really wanted sushi, so we also had some of that (sadly, not at Happy Hour prices). The stone grill method of cooking kept the meat juicy and tender. Yum!

There's a big menu of saki and beer, but I wanted to try something new, so I ordered Takara Plum Wine. It comes on the rocks, and I LOVE it -- and truthfully, I was actually expecting to hate it. The taste reminded me of a Shirley Temple (though it's not fizzy), and while it's definitely sweet, I didn't think it was overly sweet. Oscar had a Ramune, a lemon-lime soft drink that comes in a glass bottle stopped with a marble. Anyway, every scrap of food was consumed. Oishii -- delicious! We will definitely be back!

Le Rêve Bakery & Cafe

My lovely friend Christina read my post about Cafe Besalu and urged me to try her favorite pastry shop in Queen Anne, Le Rêve Bakery & Cafe. Well, you don't exactly have to twist my arm to get me to try a new eating spot, so we went together today! The cafe's name translates as "The Dream," and it's super cute, with a glass case full of tempting baked goods. But it was lunchtime, so we held off on the sweets and opted for soup. I had a mug of cream of broccoli and it was absolutely delicious, with flavorful florets and little squares of potato. I also had a caprese sandwich, but next time I'll just get a big bowl of soup. Plus, when you get the bowl of soup (as opposed to the mug) it comes with monkey bread -- not the kind with cinnamon, but a fluffy roll laced with a savory cheese.

I was totally full after that, but left with a huge, buttery twice-baked almond croissant, which I think is Le Rêve's most popular pastry. I ate more of it than I intended to -- but to my credit, I gave at least half of it to Oscar. Dangerous!

Online reviews lead me to believe that Le Rêve gets packed on the weekends, but we had no trouble getting a seat. I noticed some thoughtful touches, like both glasses and plastic cups for the kiddies near the water carafes. There's even outdoor seating. As a matter of fact, the whole Queen Anne neighborhood looks charming, so I definitely need to do more exploring here. Until next time, I'll be dreaming of the coconut cake that I didn't get to taste. Yet.