Buy a latte today and feed the homeless this Thanksgiving

Today only - Cafe Lati will be donating all sales (and tips!) to the Lake City Food Bank. Located across the street from Nathan Hale High School, this small coffee shop is a great example of locally-owned businesses giving back to the community. Yesterday they posted this on their Facebook page:

The Food Bank had to refuse many families during last thanksgiving due to limited budget. We'll donate our time, sales, and tips, but we can't do much without you. We would love if you stopped by and purchased a cup of coffee tomorrow. Feel free to share this message. Seri, Maria, and I really hope to see you on Sunday!

So even though there is talk of snow, venture over to to Cafe Lati (11003 35th Ave NE ) for your cup of coffee and help others get a Thanksgiving meal at the same time.

Sample Restaurant Week before it ends Thursday

Some of you may remember my excitement about the inaugural Restaurant Week earlier this year, despite the fact that only one Northeast Seattle restaurant was participating.

Well, with it's second go round Restaurant Week is bigger than ever and offering many more restaurants in our neck of the woods. If you haven't had a chance to check out the 3-course dinner for $25 deal, better hurry! The promotion finishes on Thursday night (10/28).

Try one of the five Northeast restaurants participating:

• Frank's Oyster House and Champagne Parlor (Ravenna)
• Pair (Ravenna)
• Sand Point Grill (Sandpoint)
• Mamma Melina (University Village)
• Piatti (University Village)

I haven't been to all of these fine establishments but if I had to choose my vote definitely goes for Pair. A small, unassuming little bistro tucked next to the Queen Mary on 30th; Pair serves up small plates with simple but delicious flavor. It's an invitingly cozy spot perfect for a rainy night.

Piatti's 3 for $25 dinner ends Thursday

If you find yourself shopping down in the University Village this week, you might want to try Piatti's special spring menu deal before it ends on Thursday, June 10th.  Three courses for $25 is tough to beat and the menu looks delicious:

PRIMI PIATTI

ZUPPA - Asparagus, Cream, Leeks & Agrumato

INSALATA DI FRAGOLE - Arugula, Strawberries, Goat Cheese, Almonds & Raspberry-Mint Vinaigrette

SECONDI PIATTI

RAVIOLI - House-Made Goat Cheese & Caramelized Onion Ravioli; Asparagus, English Peas

& Grape Tomatoes

PORCHETTA - Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder, Roasted Fingerling Potatoes, Green Beans & Pan Jus

RISOTTO - Arborio Rice, White Prawns, Leeks, Fennel, Thyme & Lemon Zest

SUGO D’ AGNELLO - Pappardelle Pasta, Braised Lamb Ragu, Calabrian Chili & Ricotta Salata

DOLCI

BUDINO - Rich Chocolate-Orange Custard, Candied Orange Zest & Whipped Cream

GELATO OR SORBETO - Selection Changes Daily

For more information, check out Piatti's website or call: (206) 524-9088.

Memorial Day special at Blue C Sushi

According to Daniel over on the Eat Bellevue website, Blue C Sushi is honoring all those who have served our country with a Memorial Day special.  Spend $15 or more on your meal and receive a free dark blue plate option, such as: V-8 Roll, Sea Urchin, Yellowtail Nigiri, Spider Roll, Eel & Cucumber Roll, Las Vegas Roll, Salmon Albacore, Tuna, Octopus, Mackerel, or Seared Tuna.

Print out this coupon to get the free plate:

The closest Blue C is in the University Village; hours are 11am - 9pm. If you aren't in the neighborhood then check out Daniel's list of all restaurant locations in the Seattle area.

Meet-up Pictures and Thank You's

Thank you so much to all who came out to the Tax Day Meet-up last night at Black Pearl Restaurant in Wedgwood. It was great to meet so many new people from the NE Seattle neighborhoods and from as far away as the distant lands of Issaquah. It was an awesome crowd, great conversation, and everyone seemed to be having a wonderful time.

Annie at Black Pearl blew us all away by serving a seven-course sampling of their menu with wine pairing for each.  I should mention that the term "sampling" doesn't do the evening justice as it was clearly a huge meal!

My favorites of the night were definitely the Spicy Fish in Szechaun Sauce and the Mongolian Beef but the homemade Chow Mein noodles really stole the show.  I think they're the best I've had in Seattle. Oh and did I mention how delicious the pork pot stickers were? Clearly I could go on and on.

Last but most definitely not least, a huge thank you to Northwest Totem Cellars and Greenlake Wines for the incredible donation of wine for the event. The NW Totem Cellars Late Harvest Viognier was like pure honey in my glass - I wanted to drink the entire bottle! And the Randall Harris Sauvignon Blanc was so amazing I must plug that Greenlake Wines will be selling it for $5 a bottle this weekend only. I'll be stopping by there later today to pick up a few bottles.

Thanks everyone! A few pictures from the event can be found on our Flickr page.  If anyone else took some photos, feel free to add them to the pool!

Tax Day Meetup in Wedgwood Tomorrow!

For those who like to wait to the last minute, a final warning that your taxes are due tomorrow, April 15th. Get those suckers in the mail (or submitted online if you prefer like I do) and then head over to the Tax Day Meet Up being held at Black Pearl Restaurant (7347 35th Avenue NE) in Wedgwood!

I'm co-hosting the event with Kristin, of Seattle Events fame, and Annie, the general manager of Black Pearl, so it's guaranteed be a really fun time and a great way to meet new people from NE Seattle and beyond!

For more information and to RSVP for the event, click on the Come Meet Us widget on the right side of the page or go here: http://twtvite.com/4u27dc

See you tomorrow!

Yelp photo courtesy of Maria C.

Seattle's First Restaurant Week is Coming...Sort of

For a foodie like me, Restaurant Week is a thing of legend.  I've heard of it happening in major cities all over the country, it always sounds amazing and, well, completely delicious.  Culinary heavyweights like Aureole and Le Cirque in NYC serve five-star meals for a mere $25. To someone with the restaurant appetite of a millionaire, on a non-profit income, its akin to food porn.

Sure we have dining discount months like Dine Around Seattle, which is wonderful in its own right, but word on the street is many of the local five star restaurants won't participate because it's a grueling work load with little payback. So imagine my delight when I heard Seattle too, would be getting a Restaurant Week with over 100 restaurants participating - hurrah! I've got my How to Cook a Wolf and Canlis reservations made.

Unfortunately, while scanning the list of 91 Seattle establishments (there are many more on the Eastside as well) I found only one restaurant included from the entire northeast section of Seattle; only one! Northeast Seattle's proud (and lonely) participant is Divine (7918 Roosevelt Way).

Tucked into the quiet Maple Leaf neighborhood, Divine, hasn't received a whole lot of press and seems like a somewhat obscure choice. I, shamefully, haven't been to this fine restaurant but the Seattle PI's Rebekah Denn had this to say:

Beard Papa Hits the University Village

There is a cult-like following for Beard Papas.  No, it's not the latest hipster facial hair trend; it's a yummy creme puff made by the hugely popular Japanese company of that name.  Made fresh daily, without preservatives, the pastries are filled with custard available in varying flavors such as vanilla, chocolate and green tea.

Devoted followers patiently waited for the first store to open over in the Uwajimaya Food Court in September of 2008 and have been keeping it very busy ever since. Well starting today, Beard Papa lovers (yes, I realize how strange that sounds) can get their fix at a second location in Seattle - Blue C Sushi in the University Village.

If you have a free minute, watch the incredibly hilarious cartoon history of "The Beard Papa Story":


.

Dine Around Seattle This March

It's time again for another month of the bargain-hunter foodies dream - Dine Around Seattle.  Now in its eighth year, the 3 courses for $30 discount gives people a chance to indulge at many fine dining restaurants around the city.  There are heavy-hitters like Dahlia Lounge, Chez Shea and Ray's Boathouse participating again this round.  Considering that most of the entrees alone at these restaurants cost close to $30, it's definitely a steal.

The sole NE Seattle representing in Dine Around Seattle is the always delicious Mamma Melina.  I won't linger over the disappointing fact that there's only one restaurant participating from such a large section of the city. Luckily, Mamma Melina is a consistently great Italian meal and definitely worth the $30 price tag; especially with this menu:

ANTIPASTI
Calamari
Portobello Bruschetta
Zuppa- Chef’s Selection
Prosciutto e Formagio Plate
Ceasar or Campagnola Salad

ENTREES
Linguine Anagosta e Cozze, Maine Lobster Tail and Penn Cove Mussels
Filetto Marsala Demiglace, Beef Tenderloin Medallions in Mushroom and Marsala Wine Sauce
Gamberoni Grigliati, Grilled Pancetta Wrapped Prawns
Gnoccci Ragu, Gnocchi in a Homemade Meat Sauce
Ravioli Vegetariani, Spinach and Three Cheese Filling in Rose Sauce

DOLCE
Chocolate Soufflé
Cheesecake
Cannoli

Sounds like a perfect opportunity to dine at Mamma Melina before it's rumored to move out of the neighborhood.

Before you head over, make sure you read the promotion's fine print: The $30 offer is only good on Sundays through Thursdays. This includes selections for appetizer, entrée, and dessert. Many of the restaurants also offer lunch for $15. Prices do not include beverage, tax and gratuity.

For more information and a list of participating restaurants, check out Dine Around Seattle's website: http://www.dinearoundseattle.org.

Samurai Noodle Opens in U District

For those thinking the name Samurai Noodle sounds familiar, you are correct!  The ramen shop bearing that name is popular among foodies and noodle-junkies looking for something beyond the ever popular Pho.  Judging by the 242 reviews of the restaurant on Yelp, it's not exactly a hidden secret.  As a self-proclaimed ramen addict myself, I was thrilled to read Nancy Leson's post that Samurai opened up a second restaurant in the University District last Saturday.

Located in the former La Tienda space (I'm still sad that store moved to Ballard!), the new Samurai Noodle is giant compared to the original; which is smashed in the side of Uwajimaya in the International District. Another big change - forgoing the quick, counter service for table service instead.  Luckily, patrons have over 12 hours of dining to get a bowl of the yummy noodles.

Has anyone tried it out yet?  Comment and let me know!

Samurai Noodle: 4138 University Way NE.  Hours: 10am to 10:30pm - Sunday thru Thursday; 10am to 11:00pm on Fridays and Saturdays

Mamma Melina to Move Near University Village

Nestled under the Seven Gables theater, Mamma Melina has been serving up really good, authentic Italian food in the University District since 1990. So when I read the news that it would be moving, my heart panged with sentimental memories of so many great meals at that location. Of course, I would be a liar if I didn't say I'm REALLY excited to see it reopen even closer to my house.

According to KOMO, Mamma Melina will shut it's University District doors this May and move to The Croydon building on the corner of 25th Ave NE and NE Blakely; just outside of the University Village.  With the recent news of Enotria closing, it's good to know that "Mamma" and Pasquale will be moving into the neighborhood.  I'm only sad it will most likely mean the end of the discount to all Seven Gables theater-goers.

Oh Wedgwood Broiler, You So Crazy

I ♥ the Wedgwood Broiler - or the WB, as it's affectionately known to my friends - even more after seeing this photo in the NE Seattle Life flickr group.  Many thanks to Benjamin Lukoff for taking it and adding it to the pool!

Taking a cue from the Wedgwood Broiler: Check out NE Seattle Life on Facebook and become a fan here!

Full Tilt Ice Cream Opens in the U-District

yummm... molly moon's ice cream
Originally uploaded by yukes!

When it comes to the recent explosion of ice cream shops opening in the city, the Seattle Metblogs post, Full Tilt Ice Cream Opens in the U-District, took the words right out of my mouth: ice cream is the new cupcake. I’ve watched, in awe, the sudden increase of gourmet ice cream shops in Seattle and wondered how this happens in our current economic climate.

Don’t get me wrong, I am a huge fan of Molly Moon’s, Parfait, Old School Frozen Custard, Fainting Goat, and Bluebird; all which opened within the last couple of years.  Most champion local and/or organic ingredients, as well as having unique flavors that taste DAMN. GOOD. Anyone who hasn't tried a combination cup of salted caramel and balsamic strawberry from Molly Moon's is missing out in one of Seattle's best food treasures...but I digress.

Atlas Foods Closes at U Village. Welcome Boom Noodle!

From the Seattle Times:
"On Wednesday, January 6, auctioneer James G. Murphy Company will be on hand to sell-off the contents of Atlas Foods, which -- Boom! -- will then be completely overhauled to make way for Boom Noodle, sibling to University Village's popular Blue C Sushi.


ETA for the debut of the latest Boom Noodle: June, says co-owner Steve Rosen, who notes that the closure of Atlas leaves a breakfast void in the Village he and his business partners are contemplating filling. "We're strongly considering a weekend breakfast component," one that would take a creative approach to the morning meal. (Dim sum, anyone?)"

I've never been to Boom Noodle on Capitol Hill but I've heard pretty positive reviews - especially the bar.  I'm just wondering how the owners of the University Villages' current Asian noodle restaurant, Zao Noodle, feel about this change.  Competition much?

Hudson Public House - First Impressions

I’ve driven past the corner of 15^th Ave NE and Lake City Way at least three times a week since moving last August and never noticed Hudson Public House until recently.  Maybe it was the addition of a small clapboard sign?  Whatever it was, my curiosity was piqued.  I've been quietly wishing to find more higher-end bars like those in my old Capitol Hill neighborhood.  Maybe Hudson would be what I was looking for?  The answer: yes and no.