Now you can prepare all of the Dahlia Bakery deliciousness from the comfort of your own home.  Tom Douglas generously hosted an open house party to celebrate the release of his new Dahlia Bakery cookbook, Sweetness in Seattle.  The event was a chance to check out the book, mingle with Tom D and his crew, and relish in some Dahlia goodies. 

On course for the night was a mix of Tom’s most well-known savory and sweet staples. Among my favorites were the fried green tomato bacon biscuit sandwich, Dahlia donuts with mascarpone, and a cookie decorating station.  The cookbook is filled with 125 recipes to keep your bakery arsenal well-equipped for the holidays! 

Eggs benedict with goat cheese and artichokes 

cornmeal custard cake with bananas

Poached egg over pork hash

Corn pudding with sausage

The Boat Street Café is a charming rustic restaurant that is inspired by the French region of Provençal. The vision of Boat Street Café is to stimulate an exquisite dining experience by both its food and environment.

We went to brunch here a few weeks ago to celebrate my fiancée’s sister’s birthday.  The brunch menu is pretty extensive with a good combination of sweet and savory. Also, I like the fact that their French menu is easy to interpret and you’re not left wondering what you just ordered. For my meal, I ordered the eggs benedict with goat cheese and artichokes. The rest of the table ordered the poached egg over pork hash, cornmeal custard cake with bananas, and corn pudding with sausage. The dishes are just the right portions and served with fruit and mix greens salad.

The eggs benedict dish was delicious with the right balance of flavor in the hollandaise sauce. The only downside is that there was no meat in the dish, so for meat lovers, be sure to get a side of bacon or sausage. The pork hash was tasty as well with a smoky flavor to satisfy your savory needs. I didn’t try the other dishes but everyone looked pleased. 

The other distinctive aspect about Boat Street Café is their atmosphere with slate tables, wood floors, and bistro lighting. The place looks like a setting for a Kinfolk magazine photo shoot. This space is perfect for socializing, being romantic, and celebrating special occasions. I enjoyed my experience at the Boat Street Cafe and look forward to dinner here sometime soon. 

Fans savoring the Six Strawberries’ ice pops

Six Strawberries pulling into the spot

Six Strawberries parking

Delivering to the Macklemore & Ryan Lewis fans

Six Strawberries team Vanessa and Will

This past Sunday, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis announced a free secret show that night for the first 600 fans at Neumos. Also, Macklemore ordered for his fans in line the best artisan ice pops in Seattle… Six Strawberries.

Six Strawberries ice pops specializes in ingredients that are dairy free and from the Northwest. The innovative selection consists of all flavor profiles such as Chai, Strawberry Rhubarb Pie, Thai Iced Tea, Blueberry a la mode, and other good stuff. The crew (Vanessa and Will) not only deliver well on taste but also from the trunk of their bicycle carts. Tweet these guys to find out their whereabouts and when you can relish on these artisan ice pops.

Seattle’s own Macklemore & Ryan Lewis just released their first album, “The Heist”. The album made it to #1 on iTunes and they did it being I-N-D-E-P-E-N-D-E-N-T. Their album has some of the most moving, inspiring, and meaningful tracks out there. So take a listen and hopefully you’ll like it as much as I do.

Cake Envy birthday cake!

View from the kitchen

Cupcakes for the guests

Photobooth…. the homies Annie and Sarah partaking in the festivities

Red velvet

In the window

fh206 and the shop owner Helen Noh

Cake Envy…..It’s your birthday! And we are going to party like it’s your birthday!  Last weekend many of us helped Cake Envy celebrate their 1 year birthday bash.  The party was pretty poppin with a dj, rose’, charcuterie from Spur Gastropub, prizes, and of course dessert. It was great turnout with plenty of people, kids, and everyone partaking in the festivities. 

Cake Envy is about local, sustainable, the best ingredients, and producing some of the most envious treats. The space is a charming modern feel that sets the mood for a fun social environment….also serving beer and wine helps with that.  For the cupcakes, my faves are the Mexican chocolate, Almond Creme Anglaise, and Neapolitan.  I’ve been a fan of Cake Envy since their grand opening a year ago.  It’s my goto special occasion shop and even more special since they will be creating my wedding cake.  PS, I won the grand prize as I was randomly selected for a custom designed wedding cake.  *insert celebration dance here*

Space Needle in the backdrop

Xplosive

Steak Bun Bowl

Chicken Adobe Banh Mi

Karaoke - sweet rice balls

Shawarma 

grubbin’

Ice cream sandwich

The Mobile Food Rodeo is the bi-annual round up of all the Seattle food trucks into one location for your food herding convenience.  This past weekend the event took place in my hood, South Lake Union.  Literally steps from my dwelling.

We made it a priority to check out Xplosive Food Truck since there was a lot of buzz for its unique Vietnamese Filipino fusion menu.  I grew up on both Vietnamese and Filipino (friends’ family parties) cuisines, so I was excited.  When all is ate and done, the food fell pretty short of expectations.  The flaws were due to poor execution as they forgot the pickled carrots and daikon in the Chicken Adobe Banh Mi and overcooked the vermicelli rice noodles which made the Steak Bun Bowl soggy.  However their dessert, the Karaoke sweet rice balls were pretty good.  I will probably give Xplosive another try down the road after they work out the kinks.

The other places we went were to Hallava Falafel and Sweet Wheels.  Hallava Falafel probably has the best Shawama in Seattle.  The sandwich is loaded with flavor, veggies, and freshness.  The ice cream cookie sandwich at Sweet Wheels was pretty disappointing so not a fan.

In all, I always enjoy the Mobile Rodeo Events.  Where else can you herd a whole bunch of street truck food?

Start the dinner on the roof

Congrats CY & Migs!

Not spicy

Olives from the garden

Seattle’s best carrots

Here’s my #… Call-a-mari

Clams with slow roasted pork

Cod

Terra Plata Panna Cotta

Premium churros

Migs and FH206

Last week my close friends Carolyn and Miguel got married and celebrated their union with some memorable wedding festivities. 

The festivities began with the rehearsal dinner that took place on the new rooftop deck at Terra Plata.  Terra Plata brings you seasonal inspired food with local growers and artisan producers.  Some of those ingredients can also be found on the roof too. The food was top notch with its creativity, flavor, and attention to detail.  Combine that food with a great reason to celebrate, and the best rooftop in Seattle (outside of Pike Place Market) then you have one of Seattle’s best summer dining experiences.  

Congratulations to Carolyn and Miguel!  Thanks for having me be part of the wedding and hosting such a wonder dinner experience!

Puget Sound backdrop 

Recreating the Snout & Co Cuban Bowl photo that was previously featured

Island Soul’s coconut corn muffins were a hit

Spur Gastropub sliders were McCracken

Finishing crisp on the crepes at Crisp Creperie 

No running away from the Short Rib taco at Fusion on the Run

Artistic

Torching at Hot Molten

No introduction needed for Trophy Cupcakes

Social and networking

Treating the patrons (Street Treats)

Homies

A few weeks ago I attended (media invite) and took foodhipster photos for one of Seattle’s most hoppin’ summer parties…. Best of Seattle.  I must say another awesome time put together by Seattle Weekly (Vocaricous).  The evening was about good food, having a good amount of drinks, being entertained, socializing and people watching.  The Puget Sound backdrop is the best setting for our Seattle summer evenings.

Sorry for the delay in posting these pics, I had to jet over to Europe a few days after the event :)  Thanks SW!

Crowded

Drums

Beer Garden Sake Bombs

Kiddos can’t get in to the Beer Garden

Departed the Beer Garden to hang with Angelo and Arn

Yaki Onigiri grillin

Yaki Onigiri

Grilled Mochi

Freshly Grilled Chicken Teriyaki

Somen

Happy food goers

Crowded Crowded Crowded

The Bon Odori Seattle is another event that I have been attending since I was 15.  This is one of Seattle’s most awesome summer cultural activities. You got good food, a beer garden, some dancing, sun, crowds, and kicking with the homies…. I don’t know about you, but sounds like a great time to me.

now I’m on vacray status…

Mainstage

Backdrop - fountain and Space Needle

The line for the Alligator on a Stick 

the HOTTEST SELLER - Alligator on a Stick

the annually coveted Alligator on a Stick…. crackin’

Claire flossin’ the alligator

Palace Kitchen’s Tommy D grillin’ up some steaks 

Tom Douglas in the mix

Din Tai Fung Xia Long Bao err day err day

$10 sampler dish from the Alley with proceeds going to Food Lifeline. Some of the  participants were Tom Douglas, Din Tai Fung, and Salty’s.

The Bite of Seattle is the city’s most celebrated food event bringing together all the food diversity Seattle has to offer. I have been attending this annual event since I was 14 so lots of good times here.  The 2012 Bite of Seattle was definitely another great time… You can’t beat a summer Seattle day with food, sun, hanging out, and sights! 

Ready to plow

Plow brunch fresh pork sausage, eggs your way, potatoes, and almond pancakes

Dungeness crab scramble

I plowed through my brunch at Plow in San Francisco.  Plow is one of the most poppin’ weekday brunch spots in the city.  The food is new american that is done very well, fresh, simple, and flavorful.  Plow makes this section of Potrero Hill a foodie’s paradise.

The Plow breakfast gives you the best of both words (sweet & savory) with fresh pork sausage, almond pancakes (or lemon), eggs your way, and the crispiest flavorful potatoes you can have.  We also got the dungeness crab scramble which was delicious as well.  I’m glad I was able to plow here. 

Interior

Signage

Spicy noodle with beef cheek

Pork belly with thousand year old egg and rice rolls

Salad rice rolls

BBQ beef brisket sandwich (GQ’s best dish in San Francisco)

My mission if I chose to accept was to dine at Mission Chinese Food and take instagram it up.  The mission was gladly accepted however I think we ordered more dishes than two people can handle. 

The Mission Chinese Food menu was like Disneyland! There were so many asian dishes with all my favorite ingredients and sold at reasonable prices. I done lost my figure in an asian foodie’s paradise. The BBQ beef brisket was delicious, slow cooked and flavory to articulate all it’s goodness. The salad rolls, pork belly, and spicy noodle soup were all good as well. The mission very much satisfied. 

On a bonus note, I tweeted that the food hipster had finally embarked on this mission and then chef Danny Bowien came out to chat it up. He appreciated my venture down from Seattle and called in a table for me at my next destination. Too bad I wasn’t picture ready since my glasses were fogged up from the spicy noodle soup. 

Banh Khot aka mini Vietnamese Pancakes

Banh Hoi with Nem noung (meat balls) and pork chops

Com Tom with grilled onions wrapped in beef

You can’t visit the South Bay without having Vietnamese food. San Jose is the second largest Vietnamese population in the US, so you know it has to be good. Per recommendation of miss Instagram Thaoism and Yelpers, we went to Vung Tau for our only Vietnamese meal. Vung Tau is one of San Jose’s longest standing Vietnamese restaurants in rhw community.

The popular dish in Vung Tau, Vietnam, is Banh Khot (mini Vietnamese pancakes with shrimp shavings) and coincidently it is the most popular dish here. The mini cakes are to be wrapped in lettuce and dipped in fish sauce. All I can say is that it’s hella bomb and just like the homeland. The lunch concept at Vung Tau is pretty cool where you get to mix and match your meats (pork chops, grilled pork, grilled beef, pork meatballs, etc) to a rice base carb such com tam, banh hoi, etc.  Pretty awesome concept and a way to load up on your protein.  Overall the food was good, but for dinner I can see the bill racking up.

Popovers for breakfast

Eggs San Francisco (rendition of Eggs Benedict)

French Toast with Apple and Bacon

Seafood Omelette

Viewtastic from the table

The Cliff House Bistro is one of San Francisco’s most fantastic and viewtastic brunch experiences. It provides classic old school California charm with a warm nostalgic feel. 

The brunch started off with fresh buttery popovers that were so amazing. Then for the main course we had the Eggs San Francisco (their version of Crab Eggs Benedict) and the French Toast with bacon. I must say, the Eggs SF was way too delicious with fresh meaty crab, perfectly poached eggs, and a nice sauce. I was sad to have to share half of it with my fiancee, nevertheless the French Toast with bacon was a good choice too. It’s wonderful to have a good meal and overlooking the Pacific Ocean. I can live this lifestyle everyday.

The Cliff House Bistro was great recommendation from my fiancee’s uncle and aunt. It is the Nordstrom Rack version of the Cliff House Sutro, but still had first class in food, service, and views.