#explore seattle

Can't go to Seattle without visiting the Chihuly Garden.

New Post has been published on http://totesnewsworthy.com/vacay-for-less-hosts-members-seattle/

Kraken Congee

88 Yesler Way, Seattle, WA 98104

206.748.9999

This afternoon I decided to try out Kraken Congee. It is located near the corner of 1st Avenue and Yesler Way near Pioneer Square. Nestled underneath The Faerie Queen restaurant, Kraken Congee features Asian comfort foods with a unique global flare. As you descend downstairs, you will find an ambiance where industrial-meets-modern. I came for lunch where the lighting was dimmed because a high street window let natural light filter through.

I was seated by Garret Doherty, one of the two owners and chefs of the restaurant. We had a short and pleasant conversation. I had asked him how he came upon cuisine from the Philippines. He told me that his wife, who is Filipino, loved her mother’s cooking so much, she too had a desire for their children to grow up with traditional Filipino food. That was when Garrett researched, studied, and taught himself how to cook and create both the traditional and unique dishes you see on the menu. 

What I ordered:

Bang Bang Shrimp Pinch Buns with Cucumber, Tobiko and Chives - The shrimp alone was crunchy with a good flavor and the bun had a good flavor as well. However, I feel as if the shrimp’s sauce was masked when you take a bite out of the whole thing.

Five Spice Duck Confit with Pork Cracklings, Bok Choy, Soy Cured Egg Yolk, and Beet Soaked Mustard Seed - The duck was delicious. It was savory and the soy cured egg was a good touch. I just wished there was more duck, egg, and even bok choy to eat with the rice congee. 

Hood Famous Bakeshop’s Ube Cheesecake - Wonderful idea with a fantastic mango puree. The cream cheese flavor over powers the ube flavor. If it were created with a 1:1 flavor ratio, this dessert, I think, would be my favorite!

Paying our respects to the weather, we wanted to go out and what else to better than a park, hence, I did a random search of “Parks in Seattle” and Wikipedia has an amazing list. Golden Gardens sounded apt considering, the entire city was bathed in the golden rays from the sun and mixed with after rain ambiance.

The park is in the Ballard neighborhood of the city and is one of the most popular parks with a beautiful beach (I was surprised, in-spite of living so close to it, how I had never heard about this park). It was an amazing evening. The park overlooks the Olympic mountains. People were playing volleyball, enjoying the beach with their loved ones, sleeping on the hammock, walking on the trail and there was a boat race as well.

Things to do at Golden Gardens Park

The park has variety of landscape to offer and is just a perfect place to be on a sunny evening. There is a fresh water marsh near the north end of the park. Has a perfect beach which is not that crowded for kids to play and families to have a picnic. Barbecue area, fire pits, volleyball nets,  a sparsely forested area,

Just a perfect place to be and watch the sun set.

Seattle Restaurant Week is upon us! Now you can enjoy delicious dishes from Seattle’s best restaurants AND eat sustainable. 

Here are the over 25 Smart Catch restaurants are participating in Seattle Restaurant Week, and our Smart Catch suggestions.

Agrodolce

Location: Fremont

Cuisine: Italian

Smart Catch Selection: St. Jude’s Albacore Tuna - fingerling potato, fennel, Sicilian “stew”

Anchovies & Olives

Location: Capital Hill

Cuisine: Italian

Smart Catch Selection: Albacore- Chanterelle, Pancetta, Onion

Brave Horse Tavern

Location: South Lake Union

Cuisine: American

Smart Catch Selection: Bristol Bay Sockeye Salmon Burger, Tartar, Pickled Red Onion (Lunch)

Cantina Lena

Location: Belltown

Cuisine: Mexican

Smart Catch Pick:  Crispy ling cod, green tomato escabeche, tapatio crema, fried pinto beans, rice, tortillas

Chandler’s Crabhouse

Location: South Lake Union

Cuisine: Seafood

Smart Catch Selection:  Crispy Skin Artic Char- Grilled Bok Choy, Sake Mushrooms, Preserved Lemon Dashi

Chippy’s

Location: Ballard

Cuisine: American

Smart Catch Selection:  Spicy Mussels- Tomato Broth, Toasted Bread, Rouille

Cuoco

Location: South Lake Union

Cuisine: Italian

Smart Catch Selection: Roasted ling cod, chickpeas, olives, preserved tomato

Dahlia Lounge

Location: Belltown

Cuisine: Northwest

Smart Catch Selection:  Alaskan ling cod, chorizo, manila clams, white beans, pickled peppers

Etta’s

Location: Belltown

Cuisine: Seafood

Smart Catch Selection:  ‘rub with love’ salmon, sautéed green beans , cornbread pudding, shiitake relish (5 oz salmon portion)

Golden Beetle

Location: Ballard

Cuisine: Greek

Smart Catch Selection:  Taylor Shellfish Clams- Pickled Blueberry Pepper, Fennel, Freekeh

Hi-Life

Location: Ballard

Cuisine: American

Smart Catch Selection:  Coho Salmon w/ Fregola Sarda- Alaskan Pan-Seared Salmon Over Fregola Sarda Pasta Sauteed w/ Lacinato Kale in Fall Squash Brodo

Lola

Location: Belltown

Cuisine: Seafood

Smart Catch Selection:  Ouzo and dill steamed mussels, grilled house loaf

Luc

Location: Madison Valley

Cuisine: French

Smart Catch Selection:  Crispy Skin Salmon and French Lentils, Delicate Squash, Fennel, Lardon, Whole Grain Mustard

Mkt.

Location: Green Lake/Wallingford

Cuisine: American

Smart Catch Selection:  Seared Scallops- Heritage Beans, Confit Green Tomato, Piquillo-Hazelnut Aioli

Place Kitchen

Location: Belltown

Cuisine: American

Smart Catch Selection:  grilled pork loin, ginger sausage, parsley root hash, red mustard greens, gravenstein apple butter, hazelnut gremolata (No seafood on the menu, but this pork loin looks amazing!)

Place Pigalle 

Location: Pike Place

Cuisine: American

Smart Catch Selection:  Columbia River Steelhead

Ponti Seafood Grill

Location: Queen Anne

Cuisine: Seafood

Smart Catch Selection:  Grilled Wild Sockeye Salmon: Soy & cilantro-lime sauce, basil shallot green beans, turmeric basmati rice

Preservation Kitchen

Location: Bothell

Cuisine: American

Smart Catch Selection:  Shrimp Scampi- Sustainable Harvested Shrimp

Ray’s Boathouse

Location: Ballard

Cuisine: Seafood

Smart Catch Selection:  Pacific Lingcod- Grilled, house smoked bacon, flageolet beans, mushrooms

Seatown

Location: Pike Place

Cuisine: Seafood

Smart Catch Selection:  Salmon burger, house bun, tartar sauce, chips

Serious Pie

Location: Belltown, Capitol Hill, South Lake Union

Cuisine: Pizza

Smart Catch Selection:  penn cove clams, pancetta tesa, lemon thyme

Staple & Fancy

Location: Ballard

Cuisine: Italian

Smart Catch Selection:  Albacore Crudo, Baby Fennel, Taggiasca Olive, Orange

Sushi Kappo Tamura

Location: Eastlake

Cuisine: Sushi

Smart Catch Selection:  Washington Albacore Tuna & Mustard Greens Dressed w/ an Almond Wasabi Sauce 

TanakaSan

Location: Downtown

Cuisine: Asian

Smart Catch Selection:  Salmon, braised radish, kaware, miso

Tavolata

Location: Belltown

Cuisine: Italian

Smart Catch Selection: roasted scallops, hen of the woods, cauliflower puree, huckleberry

Tilth

Location: Wallingford

Cuisine: American

Smart Catch Selection:  Albacore Tuna- Sweet Peppers, Olive, Cous Cous