While the tacos north of the border don’t compare to those in Mexico, the tortillas at Galaxy Taco really are quite good. The aquachile was delicious and of course the pickled vegetables would have won me over if nothing else had.
grilled fish taco
pickled vegetables
shrimp aquachile
Mision 19
I don’t know what the typical dining scene is in Tijuana on a weekday but I was very surprised to almost have the entire restaurant to myself for lunch. Javier Plascencia had a place right down the street from my new apartment but unfortunately it closed before I moved. My lunch at Mision 19 was lovely as was the service and for a minute I really wasn’t sure where I was but I wouldn’t have guessed Tijuana. If you find yourself in Baja California absolutely seek out one of Plascencia’s spots.
Tacos El Franc
I really hope that some of the rumors of Mexican taco spots moving north of the border come to fruition. These were delicious and ridiculously cheap.
The roof at Kettner Exchange is a lovely setting as was my food on this visit. Unfortunately I am a bit too old for what is frequently a party scene. So if you prefer quiet I would go early in the week and early in the evening.
grilled thai sausage
hamachi ceviche
It is really nice when the place two weeks away has really solid cocktails and quite good food. Sadly they are guilty of what has quickly become my biggest pet peeve in San Diego which is every bar asking for a credit card to open a tab. I get it at a crowded bar. But when I am a repeat customer and am clearly not running out on my check, it is completely inhospitable. Sit at a table 6 inches away and of course you would never be asked for a card. Is the threat of dashing and dining any different? Why piss off guest who is sure to return? And after having all of my credit cards stolen more times than I can even count I don’t want any out of my possession for hours at a time. So what I am I to do? Pay cash for my cocktail and each plate as I order them? Tip prior to actually receiving any service?
beef tartar – capers, cornichons, red onion, chives, egg yolk, levain
crudite salad – arugula, radish, snap peas, fennel, green goddess dressing
This was my first visit to Juniper & Ivy as I put it off on my interview and apartment hunting trips fearing that I would be disappointment but what was supposed to be the best place in San Diego. Thankfully it is awesome and I have been back so many times in the last few months that eventually I will have to stop posting about it. The menu has since changed many times but this bbq carrot dish is still one of my favorites.
big trouble in little italy – bourbon, montenegro amaro, mint, lemon, peach bitters
bbq carrots, jalapeno chimichurri, peanuts, apricot
asparagus, soppressata, salmon roe, meyer lemon, crispy potatoes, cured egg yolk
beef tartare, fave hummus, pickled eggplant, beef tendon chicharron
Sadelles
The last time I had a bagel…
Paowalla
Tabla was one of the first restaurants I visited when I first moved to NYC so I suppose it was only fitting to close out the run at Paowalla.
More favorites of the farewell tour…
Charlie Bird
charred octopus, ceci verde, mint & Nduja
farro, fava greens, sweet peas, pecorino & pistachio
Barbutto
bruschetta
pollo al forno
hamachi – hamachi tartare, cucumber, lemon-citrus emulsion
Skate – poached skate, pickled shallots, sea beans, cucumber, versus sauce
Salmon – barely cooked organic salmon, pea puree, yuzu butter sauce
Tres Leches – crispy cashew sponge cake sphere, caramelized goat’s milk mousse, clementine sorbet
Selection of ice creams or sorbets
More NYC favorites…
little gem caesar
black label burger
crudo
tagliolini, manila clams, calamari, peperoncino
fusilli, red wine braised octopus, bone marrow
strozzapreti, jumbo lump crab, calabrian chili, basil
Birthday celebration #2
romaine, walnut bagna cauda
diver scallops, ship kombu, tiger’s milk, cucumber
raw beef, watermelon radish, dashi ponzu
bbq ribs, sweet & sour pork
flat noodle, spicy beef, mint, crispy shallots
It was a very easy choice for where I wanted to spend my birthday. Much love for the team at Ko and another stellar meal.
black bass, barrel aged bonji
sea urchin, chickpea, hozon
ko egg, caviar
beef, au poivre
razor clam, pineapple, basil
skate, vin jaune, katsu roll
duck, broccoli rabe
foie gras, lychee, pine nut, riesling jelly
This post begins my short farewell to NYC tour. These will be many of my favorite places in NYC so I won’t be writing much because I’ve said it all before and I can’t recommend them highly enough.
oysters and pearls
salad of greenmarket squash, jingle bell peppers, picholine olive tapenade, aged parmesan and romesco
butter poached maine lobster, forest mushroom “tortellini,” green asparagus and sauce americaine
herb roasted elysian fields farm lamb, ruby beets, hakurei turnips, marcona almonds, and green peppercorn jus
“velvet elvis,” banana creme fraiche sherbet, peanut butter sabayon, and TKO crumble
Willows Inn
Not at all surprising that the family style breakfast at Willows was just perfect.
Sitka & Spruce
It was difficult to find something open on Memorial Day but luckily Sitka & Spruce was. It was even better than my first visit here and a great ending to a holiday weekend.
castelvetrano olives
Columbia City baguette with whipped butter and sea salt
raw halibut, shaved radishes, citrus, a radish green broth & herbs
a selection of pickled & fermented vegetables with a pickled egg
grilled quail & asparagus, lovage, labneh & a spruce tip vinegar
crispy potatoes, taramasalata, berebere, aleppo chili & pickled ramps
clams steamed in ‘nduja cream, sherry & cilantro on fried toast
Westward
An absolutely perfect spot for a sunny Seattle day. I loved Westward on my last trip to Seattle and so happy to get back here.
crudite
oysters
wood oven baked gigante beans, tomato, feta, breadcrumbs & marjoram
smoked arctic char salad, grilled asparagus, lentils, pan fried croutons, poached eggs
Willows Inn
It is certainly a trek to get to Willows Inn which kept me from going for quite a while but I am so glad that I finally made the effort (with a gentle push from some friends). If you stay at the inn, dinner feels like the best dinner party you have probably been to. It started with the first snacks on the patio, moved to the dining room and ended with a perfect sunset at dessert. While 2017 is not over yet, this will easily be one of my most memorable experiences of the year.
Afternoon snacks
toasted kale leaves
pink singing scallops
sidestripe prawns
rhubarb in angelica
savory doughnut
oysters and wildcress
lightly-cured rockfish in a broth of grilled bones
grilled geoduck clam
smoked mussels
reefnet caught smoked sockeye
grilled and fermented green garlic
aged venison leg
dungeness crab soaked in pine nuts
herb tostada
bread from heirloom wheat and crab brain
black cod and currant leaves
toasted birch branches
woodruff and nettles
quince and candied rosemary
pears, black walnuts, flax seeds
JuneBaby
I had high hopes but this was unfortunately the most disappointing meal of the trip. The pickles were a solid start and it’s difficult to go wrong with pimento cheese (until the crackers were much too thin to support it). The mac & cheese unfortunately was just not good and the shrimp & grits entirely flavorless.
mixed pickles
pimento cheese, pickles & saltine crackers
cast iron macaroni & cheese
gulf shrimps with Geechie boy grits & red sauce
buttermilk biscuits
Canon
I will leave this one with a Toby Keith lyric.
“I love this bar.”
Canlis
As I have said before, it is always good to take a break from chasing the newest and visit a classic. The building that houses Canlis is fabulous but I am a sucker for mid-century modern. Truly an awesome setting worth a visit alone. Service was perfect and every course quite quite good. We were even fortunate enough to enjoy a tour after dinner even though it was exceptionally late and we were the last guests to leave.
Somehow I did not take any photos of my actual steak, but Bateau is actually a steakhouse via Renee Erickson whose other Seattle spots I love. Ordering can be a bit daunting as chalkboards list all of the selections of the day and there are so so many choices of cuts and often the same cuts from different farms. Many cuts I knew but perhaps even more that I did not. And while it is tempting when faced with such a large menu to pick a tried-and-true cut, it is really the perfect opportunity to try something you may not have elsewhere. The steak was delicious, as was the tartare but the side of english peas stole the show.
steak tartare – beet green sauerkraut, dill, cured yolk, rye toast
asparagus – nettles, egg yolk, salmon roe
english peas – burnt lemon, macron almonds, tarragon and fresh cheese
Once again another great experience at one Bon Appetit’s best new restaurant picks. If you find yourself in Portland, Tusk is a definitely must-do. Such vibrant dishes which matched a very un-Portland space and flavor and ingredient combinations that I could eat very very frequently.
Chickpea fries – fresh garlic, amba mayonnaise
Hummus
Asparagus – anchovy, preserved lemon, labneh
Broccoli – carrots, dates, cilantro, almonds, shiso, crispy quinoa
Sprouted barley – snap peas, radishes, apricots, pistachios, basil, fresh cheese
Kibbeh naya – green wheat, raw lamb, turmeric yogurt, chips, romaine
Fava beans – hominy, raised pork shoulder, oregano, sumac
iwillmakeualist 