Vacationing in Madrid, Spain

A proper holiday is starting tomorrow bright and early.  Right now I'm doing laundry, cleaning and packing for a fun trip to Madrid, Spain with my sister and our frined.  First time I'll be using my passport following a trip to Paris 4 years ago (I'm not counting several trips to Canada).

Looking forward to exciting culinary experiences.  I've already decided that my first meal in Madrid (upon 7am arrival) should be churros and hot chocolate.  Salut to making it happen.

***I just recently returned back to Spain, visiting Barcelona this time around***
Check out my photos and thoughts from the trip here:

Not Your Average Market - Photo Adventures from Mercat de la Boqueria in Barcelona, Spain

 

Happy New Year ~ Ringing in the 2012 in style, in Barcelona, Spain

 

Tortilla Española: The Spanish Omelet

 

And another recipe from Portugal, where I went before visiting Spain

Pastel de Nata: Portuguese Egg Tarts aka Chinese Dessert

 

do re me PHO so la te do at 5 Seasons Grill in Seattle

I love Pho. I can and will eat it on most days, but especially when I'm not feeling too well (which luckily doesn't happen too often) or when it's gloomy and rainy outside (a more common occurence).

With the pleasusre of driving up and down Aurora Ave on almost daily basis, I pass too many Pho restaurants to count.  From time to time I have the ambitious plan of sampling a bowl of Pho from each of them.  For now, I have been to two - Tic Tac Pho, and 5 Seasons Grill.

When it comes to ordering Pho, I usually stick to the basics, and order a small bowl with rare steak - no meaballs please.  I look for a flavorful, clear broth, tender beef, and a great variety of basil, jalapeno peppers and sprouts on a side, with lots of lime wedges.  If there's any more tweaking to be done, I reach for Sriracha, hoisin, or chili sauce.

I have to say that both places did not disappoint.  The broth had a deep, rich flavor.  Tic Tac Pho had a fresher and lighter tasting broth.  The broth from 5 Seasons was sweeter and a tad too oily.  But all in all, a great bowl of pho!

Texas Colorado River Wild Onion Pita Pizza

I'm so excited to share this recipe with you from my friend Lori.  I had first met Lori when we both lived in Dallas.  She now lives in Austin and I really hope to reconnect with her one of these days in Austin or Seattle or somewhere in between.

Tonight, I came across Lori's post on Facebook "I found some delicious wild onions growing" and had to find out more.

A Native Texas (not Dallasite), Lori was visiting one of her favorite spots on the Texas Colorado River and came across wild onions that she remembers harvesting as a child with her mom.  This time around, she picked up the onions and turned them into a delicious Texas Colorado River Wild Onion Pita Pizza.

Here is her recipe:

Drizzle olive oil on pita
Add chopped tomatoes
Add sliced wild spring onions from the Colorado River in Texas
Sprinkle with oregano and thyme
Dribble (Lori's word - cute!) with Italian Tavola pesto in a tube
Sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese
Bake in a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes
Sounds delicious to me!  And if her recipes are anywhere nearly as great as her haircuts, this one is definitely a winner!

Thinking of Spring/Summer - Pasta Salad

The last few days in Seattle have been "brutally" cold and rainy.  I miss the sunshine, and I could use a few minutes or hours of warmth.  Flipping through some of my food photos, I came across these two images, both screaming "sun, summer, delicious."


Summer Pasta Salad:
Whole wheat spaghetti
Homemade tomato sauce (onion, garlic, olive oil, tomatoes, salt & pepper, red pepper flakes)
Black Olives
Marinated Artichoke Hearts
Fresh Mozzarella
Torn Basil
Drizzle of Olive Oil

Served at room temperature on a porch

Happy Hour @ Bastille Café & Bar

Dear, Bastille Cafe & Bar, you had me at "Lamb Burger".  I first noticed you while on the way to a sushi restaurant in Ballard.  My friend and I walked pass your inviting windows, peering through the glass and seeing happy patrons drinking wine and chatting.  We were tempted, but we had another destination in mind, and decided to put you on the list for future visit.  You didn't have to wait long.  A week or so later, we came for a Happy Hour with a promise of one incredible lamb burger.

In all honesty, when your menu promised a Grilled Lamb Burger on a Lavash sesame bun with harissa aïoli, arugula, and pickled shallot for only $5 I was intrigued.  But the skeptic in me, was picturing a small slider of a burger with a very thin piece of lamb patty.  Was I ever wrong!


Our waiter arrived with two plates of lamb burgers.  Juicy, full size and oh so flavorful!  The buns were clearly toasted and held up to the harissa aioli (which could use a bit more heat).  I loved the pickled shallots against the usually fatty lamb, their acidity was a great balance.  The next time I have a craving for a lamb burger, you'll be on the short list of destinations.  Thank you.

Sushi @ I Love Wasabi

My triplet Anna invited me to one of her favorite sushi places in Seattle: I Love Wasabi.  Who was I to say "no"?  I do love wasabi (it it not guacamole! beware).  And I love, love, sushi.  Plus, after my last seriously sad and disappointing sushi experience, I needed some quality rolls.

I started off with some tea and seaweed salad - two types of seaweed on one plate AND a decorative slice of carrot - creative :)  I definitely liked the crunchy, thin seaweed better - and that's the traditional variety that is usually served in restaurants.  Nice hint of sesame oil.

Here is a selection of some of the rolls we ordered.  (We did have a few other people join us - in case you are thinking that we ate this all by ourselves, which actually wouldn't be such a stretch, at least not for me).  I generally choose a rainbow roll, which is your basic California roll topped with slices of fresh fish - salmon, tuna, and yellowtail.  The I Love Wasabi had a pretty decent Rainbow roll, though I do wish that the crab (imitation perhaps?) inside the California roll had more flavor.  Other rolls included spicy tuna, California, and the Special Double Salmon roll which was my favorite, and unfortunately I can not remember its true name. 

 

I Love Wasabi, I shall be back.