Out shopping: Kizuki Ramen & Izakaya. This is chain from Tokyo that has a number of outlets in the Seattle metro area. Our visit was to the Bellevue Square location....

They know how to steam milk: Diva Espresso Kenmore. Located in The Hanger this is another of about a 1/2 dozen locations of this coffee roaster and purveyor of all...

Group dinner: La Cocina Oaxaqueña. Dinner for about a dozen but we ordered from the standard menu so I feel more confident in my impressions. It’s a relatively small place on...

Even on a cold day it’s good: Kpaw’s Iskreme. Small but usually busy place in this small island town. They have a nice selection of ice cream with handmade waffle...

Eurasian fusion: Cook Weaver. Reading about this place I was intrigued by the description of the food as well as the space. Apparently the building was built in 1930….wouldn’t know...

Needs a little prep: Rain Shadow Meats. Grab some charcuterie…..gotta try the chicken liver paté…. and a steak for later and you’re all set. Friendly service with reasonable prices. Visit...

Java and pastries: Broadcast Coffee. This is the location of their roastery. They also have a couple more locations around the city. The pastries were outstanding, in particular the Queen...

Maybe the best biscuit in Seattle: Marmite. Hard to get a great biscuit in Seattle but this has to be one of the best. Made all the better by the...

Right on Main Street: Looking Glass Coffee. Nice little spot with good espresso and inhouse made donuts! The espresso is on the dark and moody side with serious pulls so...

An old standby: Dahlia Bakery. It’s all about the triple coconut cream pie….for which they are famous but, they have a number of other great choices as well. This time...

New spot, old name: Uncle Lee’s Kitchen. It used to be located about a mile away but recently moved and reopened a few weeks ago at this site. Same food...

Artisan fast food pizza: MOD Pizza. All made to order….from any of 30 toppings and in a pizza oven no less! It’s Seattle based but they have over 300 locations...

Food truck popup: Random Acts of Food. Everyone was going crazy for the deep fried Brussel sprouts with sea salt and lime so I had to give them a try....

Airport food: Cat Cora’s Kitchen. Located in terminal 2 at SFO near the Alaska Airline gates. The seafood paella needed some salt but considering it was airport food; not bad....

Classic waterfront spot: Scoma’s. There’s been a building on this site since the late 1800s and this second site of the San Francisco restaurant by the same name has been...

Beautiful spot: Farley Bar. Nice option versus the more formal restaurant across the hall….and much less “stuffy”. Started with the oysters…..made by the shallot mignonette; followed by the burrata with...

It’s about the view: The View. Typical bar food which was quite good but, it’s all about the view….not to be missed on your next visit to SFO! Located at...

A view to die for: Hog Island Oyster Co. This is the original location and it’s right on SFO Bay so, eat outside if you can. Oysters are the thing...

It’s all about the bread: Tartine Manufactory. A well known bakery in SFO with several locations, we visited the original in the Mission District which also has an associated restaurant...

Unique experience: Sheba Piano Lounge. Think Ethiopian, lounge, piano and jazz and you should have a clear picture of this place. No you say. Read on. Visiting the city for...

A favorite spot: Tartine Bakery. Gotta look for this place….between the Mission District and The Castro. It’s a small place so be prepared to wait…to order and find a seat…but...

Nice breakfast spot: Feed Café. Nice space it what appears to have been a barn in times past. Very solid food described as artisan comfort…with large portions…..and with a few...

Popular spot for breakfast: Little Star Diner. It’s fairly small and the wait can be long….45 minutes the morning we visited…but it is well worth the wait. This is another...

Beer after the slopes: Beehive Basin Brewery. A small microbrewery near the base at Big Sky offering some unique brews. The Mother’s Milk Stout on nitro was very good and...

It’s downtown: Lola’s. I wanted an experience off the strip and this is not only off the strip but offers an off the strip food experience as well….think NOLA in...

Hard to come up for air: Deep Dive. For sure the most unique bar in Seattle. It’s located below the Amazon Spheres and has the feel of a dark undersea...

Blueberries any way you want: Bow Hill Blueberries. Stop by for a tasting….including pickled….or just go to pick your fill. This place has blueberries done in ways you may haven’t...

Another spot for cheese: Samish Bay Cheese. Very nice spot to do a cheese tasting on your way to pick blueberries in the Skagit Valley. It’s all organic and made...

No bike this time: Duvall Tavern. We were visiting this small town just east of the metro area and stopped in to checkout this “world famous since 1934” establishment in...

Sushi on the Ave: KU. Started the afternoon at The Mountaineering Club and caped off the day with a bit of sushi……more precisely….rolls (maki). This is a small place just...

Wine anyone? Slough Food. Nice little spot to pick up some wine, cheese and charcuterie for later…or enjoy it in their courtyard. They also offer soups, salads and sandwiches. This...

Continuing our tour of northwest Washington: Breadfarm. Nice little artisan bakery in the heart of a nice, interesting little village in the Skagit Valley. While we didn’t have their bread,...

Who knew: Boxx Berry Farm Market. Happened upon this place driving the backroads of northwestern Washington and stopped in just to see what they had to offer. This is a...

Dessert: Lynden Dutch Bakery. Had lunch at JoFish and saved room for a Dutch treat…or 2! Our choice wasn’t so Dutch but more local….the caramel apple pie, made from local...

Seafood in cow country: JoFish Seafood & Grill. Beautiful small town near the Canadian border originally populated by people of Dutch ancestry. The downtown area is full of Dutch architecture,...

Go to place near Mt Baker: The North Fork Brewery. Neapolitan style pizza with a few other choices such as salads and lasagna. And then there is the beer. Nice...

On the bike again: Snohomish Bakery. Weather was awful so we stopped to dry out and refuel. Nice spot with reasonable espresso and a good selection of pastries. Visit website...

Waiting for the ferry: Port Townsend Vineyards Wine Plaza. Nice spot with drop dead views of the Sound…and the wines aren’t bad either. Fruit is locally sourced so expect cold weather...

Carb loading: Bella Italia. Classic Italian restaurant located downtown near the waterfront. Had a ride up Hurricane Ridge the next morning and this seemed like a good option. Started with...

Pizza on the Peninsula: Hillbottom Pie. On my way to ride to the top of Hurricane Ridge and I needed some carbo loading. Nice little spot in the historic district...

Brewpub in B’ham: Aslan Brewing Co. For my Alabama followers, no this isn’t in Birmingham…Bellingham instead…which my PNW followers will immediately recognize. I’ve been here several times and their specialty...

Popular Brewery: Populuxe Brewing. The Tide faithful gathered here to kick off the football season and there’s nothing like beer and biscuits to get you in the mood…..especially if the...

Unbelievable food: ChoLon. This is a place you must try next time you are in Denver. I’m occasionally asked what my favorite cuisine is and I usually struggle to answer...

Beer anyone: Denver Microbrew Tour. Visited 4 different places on our tour with Matt….he was and excellent guide. We sampled 2 to 3 beers at each stop and my favorite was...

Excellent dinner for 20: Rioja. Described as Mediterranean it leans Spanish and there is a broad selection offered which should please everyone in your crowd. While this was a large...

Open for 23 years: Potager. Picked this place based on the menu, which seemed interesting, and the fact that it had been in business in a residential area of Denver...

Went to see the glass beach: North Coast Brewing Co. The beer is great and the food…..bar food….with huge portions. No way to eat the whole jumbo shrimp platter. All the...

Nice spot for breakfast and some Joe: Black Oak Coffee Roasters. They roast their own beans onsite and have a nice choice of breakfast items including bagels and burritos. Extensive...

Interesting place: The Golden Pig. Just south of Ukiah and yes, the name is correctly spelled and…..yes, the town’s claim to fame was hops. But, no longer…production was halted in...

Passing through: Bird and The Bottle. We were on the way to a wedding and needed something before our road trip north. Nice space with a deck overlooking a busy...

You gotta go for the views: Mountaineering Club. There has been a real stir recently about this bar on the rooftop of the Graduate Hotel in the U District and...

Another bike stop: Proper Joe. About the midpoint of our ride north and it seemed like a good place to try….there are a number in this small town just north...

Dandan Noodles: 7 Stars Pepper. My first experience with these noodles was in China a few years back and I’d been looking to find them in the US ever since....

Classic brew pub: Boundary Bay Brewery & Bistro. Visit on a Monday night if you can….it’s Irish and Folk night….live music in the park next door. Nothing like a beer...

Quick stop for a cup of Joe: Terre Coffee & Bakery. As most of you know, I’m partial to chocolate….but not the white kind. Is it even chocolate? I think...

Delightful little spot: Farm to Market Bakery. A bit off the beaten path but worth a short drive off I5 or as another route to Bellingham since it’s just south...

Szechuan on Capitol Hill: Chuan on Capitol. I had heard a bit about this place and it’s only a short walk from the light rail station so it seemed like...

Afternoon snack: Pane d’Amore. Heading back to Seattle from the Peninsula and no need to get on the ferry hungry. This place is a bit off the beaten tourist track...

Brunch: NetShed No. 9. We were visiting Gig Harbor…for the first time despite living here for almost 20 years! This place sounded interesting…..and the space and views can’t be beat....

After brunch drinks: Heritage Distilling Co. They have several tasting room locations and this is their waterfront location in the downtown area. We visited during the Maritime Gig Festival so...

Recommended by a friend: Le’s Deli & Bakery. Looking for a great Bánh Mi and this place came highly recommended so I had to give it a try for lunch....

Dinner for 50: Bardot Brasserie. As I’ve mentioned, I don’t usually review a restaurant in detail unless I have the experience alone or with only a few people. The reason...

Needed some Joe: Coffee Shack Co. Located just off exit 221 near Mount Vernon, it was a good place to stop…for gas…and some coffee on our way to Vancouver BC...

On the list: Stack 571. I was in the general area to have this year’s rosé analyzed and decided to stop by to see what this place had to offer....

Pike Place Market: Three Girls Bakery. Quick “breakfast” while visiting the Market. Not the best bakery in Seattle but it is very conveniently located if you are shopping at the...

Impossible Burger: Meet the Moon. We had been looking…all over for the Impossible Burger….and didn’t even know they had it on the menu. Not only was it listed, they actually...

Not a restaurant: DeLaurenti’s. This is one of those places you must visit…if you like Italian food..and even if you don’t…just to see the place. They have aisles and aisles...

Needed some Q: 3 Pigs. This is one of our go to places in Seattle for BBQ. Story is that it was started by 2 brothers from Atlanta….not a hotbed...

Cycling pitstop: C.C. Espresso and Ice Creamery. Needed a quick protein and carb load so what could be better than ice cream! Nice little shop in “downtown” Duvall. They have...

Breakfast: Bacon & Eggs. This place is very popular. On weekends expect to wait in line so arrive early…or wait. Classic breakfast fare delivered country style….huge portions! The short stack...

Google search: Public House Yakima. We needed a quick lunch on our way back to Seattle and this place looked interesting…and hopefully quick. Our problem began with Google Maps. Not...

Our daughter’s choice: Whitehouse-Crawford. We ate here about 10 years ago and she still remembers the experience. So, we had to have an update. The space is in an old...

Seriously good French cuisine: Brasserie Four. This place really has it all….nice bar, French bistrot food and a great selection of wines. We started with the chicken liver pâté to...

Wine tasting: Browne. Another option for tasting…..there are many, many to try. Very nice alfresco area which made the tasting (bottle) all the more delightful. Visit website...

Ordered too much food: Public House 124. In Walla Walla to do some riding and needed fuel for the next day….but not this much! Started with the kraut kruga….they brought...

Recommended by a friend: Yellow Church Cafe. Brief stop, for lunch, on the way to Walla Walla. We had the seared tuna salad and the smoked chicken club which were both good...

Sweets: Chocodiem. As you know, if you have followed my blog, I can’t pass up an option for chocolate so I had to try this place. Their specialty is truffles...

Korean tacos? Takorean. I was intrigued by the name and needed a quick bite before heading to the airport. You start with the style…which includes a soft taco….I went with...

After dinner drinks: Bluebird Distilling. Nice spot inside The Bourse food hall for a late night drink. Friendly bartender who knows his drinks. I’d recommend the Firebird….if you like a...

In Philly again: Cadence.  This is a small place with 26 seats at tables and 8 at the bar. Located in the Northern Liberties/Fishtown area of town. Signage on the door isn’t that easy...

Trivia night: Northlake Tavern. A group of us stopped by after a meeting and it just happened to be trivia night. It’s been a few years since I’ve been here…but...

Finger licking good & it’s not the Colonel: Bonchon. They have multiple restaurants in the US and about 300 worldwide but this is the first for Seattle….and, as typical the...

Quick lunch: Delicatus @ The Hall. Small deli just above the University Street Light Rail station at Benaroya Hall.  It’s very convenient if you’re headed downtown and are looking for...

Mediterranean on Beacon Hill: Homer. I’d heard a lot about this relatively new place so I waited awhile to visit, hoping the crowds would die down a bit. Finally visited...

Came highly recommended: The Dabney. It’s made all the list, including a Michelin star…which makes scoring a reservation a bit of a challenge….especially if you live on the West Coast....

At Washington National: Bracket Room. On the B concourse and it was on my radar because I needed a quick afternoon snack before the long flight back to Seattle and…..it...

After brunch stop: Mount Bakery. We visited the downtown location….the original is in the Fairhaven section of town. The plan was to have a coffee and a bit of dessert...

Classic Italian: La Famiglia. Small group dinner in this well known Philly establishment which did not disappoint. First task was to choose a wine…the list is quite extensive…the largest I...

Uniquely Filipino: Perla. This area of Philly is full of restaurants but I hadn’t been aware of this place until I did some research. It’s a bit hard to find...

Don’t worry, it’s not on the menu: How to Cook a Wolf. I’ve been intrigued by the name and finally decided to give it a try. I was also up...

All about the shakes: Shake Shack. I’ve tried a couple of their burgers including the SmokeShack and the ShackBurger which were good for fast food burgers but not the best...

Booze for 50: The Blind Tiger. Rang in the New Year with the group from work. This is an interesting venue downtown that’s located in the back of the Do...

After skiing late lunch: Roslyn Cafe. This is the cafe of Northern Exposure fame….as is almost everything in the town of Roslyn! Very busy place on weekends so expect a...

At the Amazon Spheres: Willmott’s Ghost. I’ve wanted to visit this new, Italian themed, restaurant by Renee Erickson since it opened in late October. The space is very unique……inside the...

All things German: Hans’ Sausage and Deli. Need stocking stuffers? Looking for real German Haribo and not those from Turkey? Need a German sausage fix? German pickles? Blaukraut? Then this...

Happy Hour: Cafe Pettirosso. We were out doing some shopping on Capitol Hill and our first choice was closed for a private party. We weren’t that hungry and this place...

Jazzy food: Jazz Alley. This is a great venue for music so that’s the main draw of this place. That said, the food is good as well. Expect a varied...

Recommended by a colleague: Pomegranate Bistro. Located in an industrial looking building in “downtown” Redmond, it’s a bit hard to find from the street and the parking lot fills quickly...

Southern food downtown: The Hart and the Hunter. I felt compelled to visit this place….advertised as the second location of the original in LA and they both serve Southern inspired...

On the road again: Chico Saloon. Stopped in for a light snack and a swim. A swim you say, at a saloon? Yep. This is probably the only example of...