It maybe a shack but the taste is far from small. Little Uncle serves up a street style Thai experience on the eastside of Capitol Hill. The menu consists of the staples Tofu Phad Thai, Kao Soi (curry noodle soup), Braise Beef Cheek buns, and a rotating special. Outdoor seating is limited but if it were a nice hot day, even sitting on the sidewalk would be popular option.

I’m down with Little Uncle. The Tofu Phad Thai was impressive with a nice blend of spice and sauce. The curry noodle soup was bursting with flavor and very satisfying. The beef cheek buns were good but I was expecting a little more. I know these pictures are from the colder months of Seattle but the Little Uncle experience is enjoyable in all weather. Also, I hear there’s a Dungeness crab special that I’ll definitely be back for.

I have been a Macklemore & Ryan Lewis fan since the “Town” and “Otherside”. “The Heist” is in heavy rotation and it makes me even more proud that they’re from Seattle. I was lucky enough to be invited by my friends Will Lemke & Vanessa Ressler of Six Strawberries to do photography for their ice pops at the secret video premier of “Can’t Hold Us.”

The event consisted of the annual pizza party, the premier of the epic “Can’t Hold Us” video, Q&A session with Macklemore & Ryan Lewis and the team, dessert, and a grand finale of Macklemore & Ryan Lewis performing “Thrift Shop”, “Same Love”, and “Can’t Hold Us”. The party was pretty filthy and one of the best times I’ve had as a photo taker.

All the fans at the event were treated to Six Strawberries ice pops for dessert. It was a hit and many of them came back for seconds. If you haven’t had a Six Strawberries artisan ice pop, you’ll need to get on that! They’re the real deal coming in creative choices like strawberry rhubarb pie, blueberry lemonade, chai, and many more. Each bar is packed with so much flavor it can get addicting. I’m a big follower and they’re making sunny days in Seattle even better.

Be sure to tweet or instagram them if you have questions, want to see their whereabouts or peep into what they got going on! 

Cuban Bowl - Snout Co

Kim chi meatball over rice patty (I love asian food) from Marination Mobile

Gumbo and Jambalaya from Jemil’s

Harvest Vine Proscuitto

Salmon Crostini from Spur Gastropub 

Platted L to R clockwise - Chicken sausage with bacon jam Skillet, Crusted Tuna, Chicken Liver Mouse RN 74, Steak Tartar Blind Pig Bistro, and Tapioca Dumplings Monsoon

Top Chef Masters Thierry from Luc doing work! 

Cocktail curators from Ba Bar

Ticket Winner… Alicia Pearce and friend. Evidence that you can win with reading the blog! 

Swag with Swag bag

As I mentioned before… Hands down Seattle Weekly’s Voracious is one of my favorite food events of the year! The tasting awards brought together some of the area’s top restaurants, food trucks, and cocktail curators for a huge foodie celebration. Can’t beat an open bar and all the tasty tastings you can consume. Not to forget, lots of socializing and that Seattle folks came very nicely fitted. Plus partying in the Paramount… why not!   

Where else are you going to get all these all-star food participation under one roof! 

I love traveling, it’s an outlet that helps further my understanding of life by seeing the world’s awestruck sites and experiencing new culture, food, and people. To continue this journey we just booked tickets to Copenhagen, Dubrovnik, and Eastern Europe. We’ll get to live a little bit of the Scandinavian life, post along the Adriatic and see the history and culture chic of Berlin. Pumped!

Last year we visited Barcelona and saw the mesmerizing constructions of Antoni Guadi. Our first stop was the larger than life gothic influenced church, La Sagrada Familia. It’s so amazing that one man can have so much power and creativity. Barcelona life was great with its sites, café con leches, parcs, and siestas. 

Chef John Roberts

English pea boisson (truffle creme)

Scallop ceviche

Beet carpaccio

Pan roasted ling cod

Spring lamb loin

Lemon meyer pie

The Edgewater is Seattle’s historic pier hotel that once hosted Rock and Rolls’ elite, The Beatles. (There is a famous picture of them fishing out of their room). Recently, the Edgewater took care of one of my heroes, travel food extraordinaire, Anthony Bourdain (Layover Seattle). Lucky for us, the foodhipster206 team received an extension of that hospitality with a generous invite to the Spring Blogger dinner at their signature viewtastic (indoor & outdoor) seafood restaurant, Six Seven.

The tasting highlighted some of Chef John Roberts’ freshest spring menu creations.  The experience began with a showcase of the season’s fresh starters; a delectably smooth English pea boisson, flavorful and spicy scallop ceviche, and the visually stunning beet carpaccio that would make you forget the beef. The main dishes for the night were the pan roasted ling cod and spring lamb loin. Both were splendid and well executed with a wine pairing. Wrapping up the tasting course was a lemon meyer pie that could satisfy any sweet tooth. 

It’s always a pleasure to have dinner at Six Seven and enjoy the company of their team and the Seattle food blogging community. It was a fun event to partake in and thank you to the Edgewater for an awesome night!     

pics from last year’s event

Hands down one of my favorite food events of the year! Seattle Weekly’s Voracious Tasting brings together some of the area’s top restaurants, food trucks, and cocktail curators for a huge celebration. It’s an open bar and all the tastings you can consume. This year’s all-star participants include IL Corvo, Blind Pig Bistro, Spur Gastropub, Harvest Vine, Taste, Marination Mobile, and others.

I’m stoked for the event and best of all, I can hook you up with a pair of General Admission tickets ($90 value). There are the 3 easy ways to enter and I’ll randomly draw the winner Thursday, March 28. You can enter once in each of my social channels (max 3 entries per person). Less people enter, the better chance you’ll have to win.

Either

• Tweet @davenguyen206 with “Hook me up”.
• I’ll post a Voracious pic on Instagram @davenguyen and comment with “Hook me up”.
• I’ll post a Voracious pic on the Foodhipster206.com Facebook page and comment with “Hook me up”

Event on Thursday, April 4, Paramount Theater at 7pm, Presented by the Washington State Beef Commission

Mi Quang (turmeric rice noodles with pork and shrimp cake)

Banh Uot Cuon Thit Nuong (grilled pork wrapped with rice noodles, the answer to the next level spring roll)

Com Tam GA (chicken)

Lots of love for the good ol’ 408! I have been visiting here and hanging out with my grandparents and uncle since I was a toddler. San Jose has one of the highest Vietnamese populations in the US, so you know the food has to be good.

When in San Jose, I’m always in exploration mode, looking for tasty Vietnamese food. In this past trip I took it back to the old school. I was looking for one of my favorite dishes, Mi Quang (turmeric rice noodles with pork and shrimp), and the search led me to Quan Hue in the Lion Plaza food court. I used to go to this food court with my family when I was a kid, so it was interesting dining now with an adult pallet. And don’t be fooled – Vietnamese food courts in their many strip malls can serve just as good food as in a fancy restaurant at half the price.

I was very impressed with Quan Hue with its vast selection of the Hue region’s best creations. Of course I ordered the Mi Quang, which was pretty spot on with flavor, spices, acidity and with the pork and shrimp cake. I felt like I was in Vietnam again. We also ordered the Banh Uot Cuon Thit Nuong (grilled pork wrapped with rice noodles, the answer to the next level spring roll). Both of these dishes are hard to come by in Seattle and a treasure when found.

My uncle ordered the Com Tam (broken rice) with grilled chicken and egg served with fish sauce. Com Tam is always a hit because the broken rice absorbs so much flavor of the fish sauce. The Lion Plaza food court is a “nguyen nguyen” situation for authentic Vietnamese food. There’s plenty to choose from, everything’s reasonably priced, no gimmicks, and easy seating. I can see myself eating here on the weekly if I lived in San Jose. Guess in the meantime this is my go-to spot.

Ladies hanging out

Totopos con Chile

Gordita Campechana

Mole Chicken

Carnitas

We were hanging out on Division Street and looking for a place for good eats. The plan was to put in for a table at both Nopa and Nopalito, go to the hipster bar, and see who calls us first. Both restaurants were really packed so we knew we were going to get some enjoyable food. Lone and behold, Nopalito was the winner.

For our meal, our table started with the Totopos con Chile (chips and salsa) and the Gordita Campechana (crisp fried tortilla with braised beef). Both dishes helped jump-start the meal with bold tastes of spices and acid. Then for the main dishes, we got the Carnitas (braised pork) and the Enchiladas Potosinas de Camaron. The pork was slow braised in orange, beer, bay leaf and cinnamon, infusing tons of flavor. The Enchilada was balanced and delicious as well.

I enjoyed Nopalito and also gave them a “like” on their Facebook page. I dig a place pushing for good flavors and dedicated to sustainability.  The cuisine definitely holds up to its motto of celebrating traditional Mexican cooking. Nopalito is a place full of discovery in each of their plates and I’m glad I got to enjoy many dishes with my group of homies.

Hangtown Fry

Crawfish Beignet

Dungeness Crab Beignet

Pork Belly with cheesy grits and a poached egg

Shrimp and cheesy grits

I fell in love with Brenda’s a few years ago after one of those much-needed morning savory meals. The space was half its current size and the wait was 4 times as long. Not sure if that math makes sense, but the wait was worth it to experience the delicious Flight of Beignets, hangtown fry, and the fried chicken benedict. The meal was exceptionally memorable and I have been yearning to come back.

During my most recent SF trip to visit family and friends, we were finally able to make it back. My excitement was like being a kid in Toys-R-Us. We went on a Friday morning right before the lunch rush and were able to be seated within 10 minutes…. Victory! I needed a few minutes to settle in, as I was overjoyed with happiness. They’ve really hooked up the space to give it an updated classic New Orleans feel.

For our order, of course we went with the Flight of Beignets that we modified to consist of 3 beignets filled with dungeness crab (special for that day), crawfish, and apple. We wanted to re-live the previous dining experience but unfortunately the benedicts are only available during the weekend (sad face emoticon). But no worries, as we got the hangtown fry, and since I was feeling special, we ordered the pork belly and cheesy grits.

The beignets were just as stellar as I remembered. They are one of San Francisco’s best sweet and savory combinations that I’ve had. The hangtown fry was good, with oysters that were plump and plentiful, and bacon that added a smoky flavor. The pork belly cheesy grits were alright. I had high expectations but the dish just fell short. I expected the dish to completely harmonize and be better refined.

In all, I’m so happy to have gotten reacquainted with Brenda’s. It’s definitely worth trying, especially for the savory brunch lovers. San Francisco is a food playground and the beignets are a must play. 

If you’re feeling city, artsy, and hungry, try a day at the Seattle Art Museum (SAM). The brunch at the Taste Restaurant, located on the street level of the SAM, is as delicious as it is convenient.  Since we are dormant SAM members, we made it a priority to spend a weekend day exploring exhibits and using our membership discount for some sustainable food. 

The TASTE brunch experience was tasty. The dishes are locally sourced from the area’s best suppliers right to your table. I ordered the Croque Madame since I was feeling like something buttery and savory. It included gruyere, smoked ham, and a sunny side egg on top of a brioche bun. I savored every bite for as long as I could. My fiancée went with a festive pork belly succotash. The pork belly was very nicely executed on a bed of squash, beets, and fennels. It was an artistic display of earthy components that reminded me of confetti.

Though our dishes at the Taste were good, I regretted not ordering the chicken and waffles. Every time one passed by, I couldn’t help but stare and drool at the beautifully constructed work of art. Nevertheless, the brunch experience compliments a day at the museum very well. I consider it one of the better brunches in the Seattle downtown area.

After the museum, we visited DeLaurenti at the Pike Place Market to munch on the best cookie in Seattle….the massive chocolate chip cookie with whole hazelnuts. If you haven’t had it, check it out! 

Roasted local carrots and fennel with yogurt

Bone marrow

Roasted trout

Braised pork shoulder 

Roasted mad hatcher chicken

Dinner party peeps

This third restaurant installment from Renee Erickson is another winner for Seattle. The Whale Wins is a picturesque open setting that promotes a wonderful dinner party experience. The menu advocates a meal that is to be shared with your friends for optimal enjoyment. Sharing is caring, right? The food is a compilation of seasonal vegetables and fresh local protein, wood fired and executed with Southern European and English influences.

Partaking in a family style meal, we ordered quite the collection.  Our first dish was the local roasted carrots and fennel served with yogurt. I’m a fan of the wood fired vegetables and wished I ordered more. There’s always next time though! The other starter was the Painted Hills bone marrow, which was pretty rich and succulent.

For the main shared dishes we got the trifecta of the roasted trout, braised pork shoulder with winesap apples, and the roasted mad hatcher chicken. I can’t speak for the party, but the main entrées performed very well. The roasted trout had a nice char and a citrus pop for a balanced taste. You can’t go wrong with the braised pork shoulder, and to couple it with apple, it made the perfect combination. The roasted chicken was good, but I definitely rank the trout and pork shoulder heads and shoulders above.

If you get excited like I do for the Boat Street Café and the Walrus and the Carpenter, then the Whale Wins will not disappoint.

Dungeness crab appetizer with fish sauce and coconut foam

Poached chicken breast with pumpkin, collared greens, peppercorns, and quinoa

White chocolate and tarragon ganache dessert with campari pearls

Top Chef judges table

As featured in Top Chef Seattle, FareStart is a fantastic non-profit organization that provides culinary training for disadvantaged individuals in our community.  The students go through a 16-week culinary program that builds their cooking skills to be ready for the restaurant industry and gain living wage jobs. On a weekly basis, FareStart holds a guest chef that gives the students the experience to work with a premier Seattle chef to prepare an exquisite three-course meal.  

Some of these dinners sell out weeks in advance. These dinners are an amazing opportunity to support the program and taste the cooking of the guest chef. We attended a dinner that featured the cooking of Chef Matt Castello from the Inn at the Langley. The Inn at the Langley does some of the finest gastronomy constructions in Washington. So instead of going to Whidbey Island, it’s like they are coming to us. 

For our meal, we were served a dungeness crab appetizer with fish sauce and coconut foam. The entrée was a gastronomic creation that featured a poached chicken breast with pumpkin, collared greens, peppercorns, and quinoa. The last course was a white chocolate and tarragon ganache dessert with campari pearls. All the dishes were very delicious, full with flavor and creatively orchestrated. Please help support this wonderful organization, and stop in when you can. 

Traditional Korean music from Morning Star Cultural Center

Cooking demonstration from Chef Heong Soon Park of Chan

Bird nest salad and spicy pumpkin jook

Citrus kimchi galbi (short ribs)

Creme filled pear

Earlier this month the team was invited to the 1^st Seattle Korean Food Festival. The event was put on by the Seattle Korean Consulate to help showcase local Korean cuisine. The program included food from the winners of the Korean Food competition that took place among the local culinary programs, Le Cordon Bleu, the Art Institutes of Seattle, South Seattle Community College, and Lake Washington Institute. The winners were judged on their creative and modern interpretations of Korean cuisine.

The judges of the competition were renowned members of the Seattle food community, Chef Rachel Yang of Revel, Chef Heong Soon Park of Chan, and food critique Hanna Raskin. The winning team, Le Cordon Blue, served a tasty three-course meal that included a bird’s nest salad with spicy pumpkin jook appetizer, citrus kimchi galbi (short ribs) entrée, and a crème filled roasted pear dessert. The food was delicious and it’s good to see programs like this help inspire a young generation of chefs in Seattle.