Seoul Hot Pot

Girl's night out for dinner at Seoul Hot Pot in Redmond! None of us had been there before, but had heard their tofu soup or soon dubu was pretty good.  It was relatively easy to find and parking was plentiful.  We came in right before the dinner rush and was able to seat our table of 7 as soon as we got into the restaurant.  Looking at the menu, all of us decided to try their soon dubu and one order of bibimbop. While waiting for our food to get served, boricha or hot barley tea was served along with little side dishes called ban-chan.

 

Ban-chan (side dishes)

From top left: bean sprouts, kimchee radish, kimchee, broccoli, little fish, fishcake

Bibimbop

(mixed rice with vegetables and egg (the rice is in the metal bowl))

Haemul Soondubu

(seafood tofu soup with prawns, clams, oysters in spicy seafood broth)

The soondubu's came out steaming hot with a cracked raw egg and dried seaweed over the top.  A bowl of rice was also given with the soup and was perfect for cooling off some of the spiciness of the soup.  I liked that there was a lot of tofu and seafood in the soondubu, but the broth did not have much flavor and was not that spicy.  Rather there was a lot of MSG added for flavor, and as I came out of the restaurant, the feeling of lethargy set in.  Although I didn't enjoy the soondubu as much, I did like the ban-chan, especially the fishcake.

The atmosphere of the restaurant was very family oriented and everyone there was Korean implying authenticity.  Although I enjoyed Seoul Hot Pot, I don't think I would miss it, if I did not going there again. Happy eating!

Seoul Hot Pot

2560 152nd Ave NE
Redmond, WA 98502

Ray's Boathouse

Delicious dinner tonight at Ray's Boathouse thanks to an informational drug meeting on Prasugrel by Daiichi Sankyo and Lilly. Free dinner along the waterfront, a beautiful view, and also a good learning opportunity... who can beat that! I wasn't able to get much pictures as the food was served while the presentation was going on, but I did manage to grab a few.

Ray's Boathouse

Beautiful sunset along the water outside the restaurant

Dinner to be served

Oh the choices...

Panseared Alaskan Coho Salmon

cucumber hollandaise sauce, cucumber-scallion relish, creamed washington russets, & local farm vegetables

Orange zested cheesecake with graham cracker crust

Ray's is excellent in their seafood.  I enjoyed my salmon so much! It was perfectly cooked with just the right amount of saltiness and the portion size was more than enough.  I've never had a hollandaise sauce over salmon, but it wasn't too rich like most sauces and added a different flavor to the dish.  The vegetables and the mashed potatoes along with the cucumber relish also made the dish unique and refreshing.  Unfortunately, I don't have a picture of the starting salad, but I really liked that as well.  It had local grown greens in it with orange slices, candied pine nuts, a ginger-dijon vinegrette, and chevre (soft white cheese), delicious! We ended dinner with an orange zested cheesecake with a nice gingery crust and a smooth cheesecake layer.

It was a well done dinner. I definitely would return here anytime!

Ray's Boathouse

6049 Seaview Avenue NW
Seattle, WA 98107-2690
(206) 789-3770

Simple pleasures

Today has been a day of simple pleasures! I saw the cherry blossoms in bloom as I walked from my bus stop to work, I laughed at a feisty squirrel running up a tree, I had spam, eggs, and rice for dinner, and expresso chocolate for a late night snack..... happiness :)

Pretty flowers, spunky squirrel

Cherry Blossoms in full bloom!

Always a favorite- spam, eggs, & rice!

Love dark chocolate and coffee!

Some of life's simple pleasures are enough to make you smile and be content. Thank you God for the beauty of nature and comfort foods!

Baking Time!

Spring is in the air and temperatures were up in the 60's today! Exciting!  The cherry blossoms and the sun are out and I think winter is finally coming to an end.  To celebrate that I decided to make some yummy cookies!

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups quick-cooking oats
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the creamed mixture until just blended. Mix in the quick oats, walnuts, and chocolate chips. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Bowl of yumminess

Not skimping on the chocolate!

Ready to go in the oven!

 Nom nom nom!

This recipe has never failed me yet.  I substituted half of the flour with whole wheat flour for a healthier and crispier cookie! In addition to a happy tummy, I also have a wonderful smelling kitchen!

Red Robin time!

Time for some burgers at Red Robin! There is a limited time special right now for a prime chophouse burger with bottomless fries for $5.99.  Who could ask for more?? The original Red Robin, first to open in Seattle in the 40's is closing next week and we wanted to visit one last time as well as take a friend who had never been there before.  It was a rainy night and when we got to the restaurant around 7pm, we found a line that stretched out the door and a wait time of about 45 minutes to an hour.  Disappointed, but not discouraged, we headed up north 10 minutes to another Red Robin location to enjoy our evening.

 

Time for some quality burger time!

We were seated after only about a 10 minute wait despite a busy evening in the house.  All seven of us ordered the special and a couple glasses of their bottomless lemonade.

Prime Chophouse Burger

Horseradish sauteed mushroom, gourmet steak sauce, melted provolone, and crispy onion straws served on an onion bun with dijon spread

Another shot of the burger

 Parmesan fries and giant fry we found

Delicious burger for the price we paid.  Lots of onions and a large patty made each bite satisfying.  I didn't taste much of a horseradish sauce in the mushrooms, but there also were not too many in my burger.  I was content with it though and  it was definitely more than enough to eat along with the bottomless steak fries.  We got to the end of our burgers and felt full to the max.  It seems like every time I go here, even though I enjoy the initial eating frenzy, I come out feeling like I just had 5 meals.  It must be the fries! Both crispy and seasoned, they make the meal complete and are good for taking home as well to eat the next day.  We found a giant one in one of our containers! Despite the full feeling, Red Robin is still a place I like to go to once in a while for a good burger!

Red Robin

401 NE Northgate Way
Seattle, WA 98125
(206) 365-0933

McCormick Fishhouse & Bar

Working back in downtown Seattle again this month which means....... happy hour once again! My friend and I went to McCormick's after work the other day intending to go for their happy hour, but last minute decided to use a giftcard for their dinner.  We'll save happy hour for another day! I've only been to this restaurant once, but not at this location.  The main dining area was dimly lit with inviting cozy booths and tables.

Dine at dusk

The recommendations by our waiter for the night were the sturgeon, lobster, and mahi mahi, but there was quite a selection of other seafood as well.  After having a discussion about whether a sturgeon was a sting ray or not (which it isn't), we decided to be adventurous and try it along with the lobster.

Quinault Sturgeon 

Sweet Potato, Bacon & Mushroom with Apple Cider Reduction

Lobster  

Sautéed in Tomato Brandy Broth, Spinach, Fresh Pappardelle Pasta

I liked the ambiance of the restaurant, but the dinner food was only ok as far as I'm concerned for the price that was paid.  My sturgeon was a bit too blackened on the top, almost burnt and although the lobster was fresh in the other dish, there were few pieces and the pappardelle was stuck together in clumps.  It is a nice place for a chat though and the service was excellent.  I think next time a round of orders will take place off of the happy hour menu, but until then.... happy eating!


McCormick Fish House
722 Fourth Ave.
Seattle,WA 98104
206.682.3900

Brunch and some Molly Moon!

I've now officially been back in Seattle for 1 week and I've come to the conclusion that I am a wimp when it comes to cold weather.  BUT I'm willing to brave the cold for good food and company! This morning I headed off to morning brunch on Capitol Hill at a hole in the wall restaurant called Table 219.  I would have walked right past the restaurant had my friend not pointed it out to me and had there not been a short line.

 

Brunch Time!

 Love the ambiance!

After waiting for about 20 minutes, we were seated in a cozy corner of the restaurant.  The ambiance of the place was welcoming and homey.  I enjoyed it a lot even before the food came out.  We ordered off of their brunch menu and decided to try their greek omelette, eggs benedict and seattle slam today.

Greek Omelet

Filled with feta and topped with an eggplant-tomato, caper and kalamata olive sauce. served with potatoes and toast 

 

Table 219 Benedict

Two poached eggs over potato cakes made with smoked gouda and canadian bacon and topped with a creamy tomato, mushroom sauce and served with toast

 The Seattle Slam

Two pancakes or french toast of the day, eggs any style and choice of bacon or chicken sausage 

Delicious food with portions that were large enough to make you feel good, but not overly full.  The kalamata and caper sauce over the omelet added a special kick to the dish and with the crispy rustic bread to soak up the juices, this was very satisfying.  The benedict did not have the traditional hollandaise sauce, but a creamy tomato mushroom sauce that worked well and added a different twist to the normal dish. Finally, the french toast of the day came with bananas and was crispy with just the right amount of sweetness. All dishes were served with a refreshing wedge of orange and grapefruit.  By the time we finished with brunch it was noon ..... time for Molly Moon! It is a Seattle favorite for local homemade ice cream and there are only 2 locations of which I'd never been to before.

  

Yay!

 

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!

Vivace Coffee & Balsamic Strawberry 

Close up, see the coffee beans!

Ice cream from Molly Moon is wonderful! I could eat it every day! It isn't very heavy and is refreshing!  All of their ingredients are local from Washington and they offer a variety of fresh and seasonal flavors as well as their great classic flavors like vanilla bean, chocolate, cardamom, balsamic strawberry, and rosemary meyer lemon.  Definitely recommend going to Molly Moon if you're in the Capitol Hill or Wallingford area.

Table 219

219 Broadway Ave E

Seattle, WA 98102
(206) 328-4604

Molly Moon 

917 E Pine St
Seattle, WA 98122
(206) 708-7947