237 Division St NW, Olympia
Date of visit: 5/17/07
What we had:
Pad Thai w/ chicken, #6 Soup, spring rolls, Thai iced tea, Cà phê sữa đá
While the name of the #6 soup has been forgotten during the ride home, the unique flavors in the soup are memorable. Rice noodles, clear broth, squid, prawns, bbq pork, and ground pork aren't a combination normally seen but surprisingly they work well together.
Spring rolls should always taste as good as this. Fresh mint leaves and quality lettuce and bbq pork set them apart from your average spring roll. The peanut dipping sauce was a perfect blend with essences of real peanuts and hoisin.
The cà phê sữa đá was too sweet and it was served already mixed so there wasn't the fun element of waiting for the coffee to drip through the filter, stirring it together, and pouring it over ice.
The pad thai was unexpectedly not orange, but rather a more greenish in color. This didn't detract one bit from its flavor and the flavor of the similarly colored sauce. Bits of chicken breast were mingling with the noodles and tasted as if they were marinated for hours prior to being cooked.
My skewered chicken strips were quite tasty, with a nice tumeric spice, mildly peppered flavor. Again, they must have been marinated for hours to achieve the flavor.
The Thai iced tea was on par with the cà phê sữa đá, in that it was rather sweet, even for my liking of sweets. A first-timer with the iced tea...though, I would order it again, no question. What's not to like about iced tea that's creamy and sweet with a hint of what seemed to be caramel?
The service overall was quite acceptable. The servers could have been a bit more attentive to us when ready to order. They did visit our table more often throughout the course of the meal making sure we were satisfied.
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Phở 38 ^^^^
3815 South Steele St, Tacoma
Date of visit: 5/16/07
What we had:
Various types of Phở (including rare beef, meatballs, and brisket), spring rolls, and pot stickers.
Bowls of steaming Phở were served up soon after ordering. The broth was satisfying and once the obligatory basil, hot peppers, bean sprouts, and lime juice were added, the complex yet balanced flavors was nothing short of beautiful.
The Cà phê sữa đá (iced chicory coffee) didn't disappoint either. It was strong and sweet, the perfect complement to the meal.
Date of visit: 5/16/07
What we had:
Various types of Phở (including rare beef, meatballs, and brisket), spring rolls, and pot stickers.
Bowls of steaming Phở were served up soon after ordering. The broth was satisfying and once the obligatory basil, hot peppers, bean sprouts, and lime juice were added, the complex yet balanced flavors was nothing short of beautiful.
The Cà phê sữa đá (iced chicory coffee) didn't disappoint either. It was strong and sweet, the perfect complement to the meal.
Monday, May 14, 2007
GameWorks Grill ^
1511 7th Ave, Seattle
Date of visit: 5/13/07
What we had:
The Works burger, turkey burger, and babyback ribs
The toppings on The Works burger were good, but the meat itself wasn't seasoned at all which detracted from the overall taste.
The turkey burger lacked any seasoning as well.
Apparently there is a shortage of potatoes somewhere because we each got approximately 10 french fries.
The babyback ribs were tasteless. McDonald's did a better job with the McRib. The accompanying cole slaw was acceptable.
Service was shoddy at best. After catching the eye of one of the servers who promptly ignored us, we stood around at the entrance for a few mins before deciding to seat ourselves. Our server kept disappearing even though it wasn't busy and we were the only table in his section. He didn't check on us once the food was served and his customer service skills need some polishing.
If you're going to GameWorks to play the games, you should stop somewhere/anywhere else beforehand to grab a meal.
Date of visit: 5/13/07
What we had:
The Works burger, turkey burger, and babyback ribs
The toppings on The Works burger were good, but the meat itself wasn't seasoned at all which detracted from the overall taste.
The turkey burger lacked any seasoning as well.
Apparently there is a shortage of potatoes somewhere because we each got approximately 10 french fries.
The babyback ribs were tasteless. McDonald's did a better job with the McRib. The accompanying cole slaw was acceptable.
Service was shoddy at best. After catching the eye of one of the servers who promptly ignored us, we stood around at the entrance for a few mins before deciding to seat ourselves. Our server kept disappearing even though it wasn't busy and we were the only table in his section. He didn't check on us once the food was served and his customer service skills need some polishing.
If you're going to GameWorks to play the games, you should stop somewhere/anywhere else beforehand to grab a meal.
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
Meconi's Italian Subs ^^^^½
5225 Lacey Blvd SE, Lacey
Date of visit: 5/8/07
What we had:
Italian, Meatball, and Turkey subs, Snickerdoodle cookies
If you've never been to Meconi's and are used to Subway or Quizno's, get in your car and head over right this minute.
Sandwiches, done well, are a thing of beauty and Meconi's knows sandwiches. You just have to see the lines out the door at lunchtime to see that many people agree.
Freshly baked bread that actually tastes/smells/feels fresh. East Coast style subs with quality meats (my fave is Capicola) that come with mayo, lettuce, tomato, onion, provolone cheese, italian oil and oregano.
Oh and the cookies were soft and fresh tasting as well. I'm still thinking about that sandwich.
Date of visit: 5/8/07
What we had:
Italian, Meatball, and Turkey subs, Snickerdoodle cookies
If you've never been to Meconi's and are used to Subway or Quizno's, get in your car and head over right this minute.
Sandwiches, done well, are a thing of beauty and Meconi's knows sandwiches. You just have to see the lines out the door at lunchtime to see that many people agree.
Freshly baked bread that actually tastes/smells/feels fresh. East Coast style subs with quality meats (my fave is Capicola) that come with mayo, lettuce, tomato, onion, provolone cheese, italian oil and oregano.
Oh and the cookies were soft and fresh tasting as well. I'm still thinking about that sandwich.
Monday, May 7, 2007
Main Chinese Buffet ^^^¾
5580 Martin Way E, Lacey
Date of visit: 5/7/07 - ^^^½
What we had:
Sushi, assorted Chinese food
The sushi at this establishment is what really elevates it to a higher level amongst the field of Chinese buffets. Included were the standard krab, tuna, and avocado sushi, but also surprisingly fresh sashimi (ahi, sake, and one other I wasn't able to identify), tako and unakyu, oysters, seaweed, and kimchee.
The Chinese dishes were pretty good. The fish in soy sauce, sui mai (pork dumplings), and Indian chicken were delicious.
We weren't particularly thrilled with the mushrooms which were bathed in butter and the chicken teriyaki was a little fatty. The Mongolian beef was decent, rather average.
Service was attentive and even on a Monday night, the place was bustling with customers- a testament to it's popularity.
--------------------------
Date of visit: 5/20/07 - ^^^^
Visit two. The sushi was a winner once again. New varieties were available for trying, including a lovely roe and cucumber nigiri that can best be described as giving little bursts of fishiness in your mouth.
There are even hidden treasures to be found, and they are worth the search. At the end of the main food line, there is what appears to be a stack of steaming baskets. The treasure is that each of the baskets contains something different, including delectable sui mai that tastes every bit as good as the kind served in top dim sum restaurants in San Francisco. If the clear dumpling with yellow paste is there, you must try one. Or two.
Also, save a little room for dessert. At the end of the dessert line on the left, the white almond jello is light and fresh. Try some with a little mandarin orange. It's the perfect end to a meal.
--------------------------
Date of Visit: 06/15/07 - ^^^
Visit three. It seems with each visit our plates become heavier with sushi and lighter with the meat. Don't get me wrong, that's not necessarily a bad thing. Overall, everything was on par with our past experiences here, no complaints there.
Of special note, however, was the coconut shrimp they offered. Being a guy with a sweet tooth, I enjoy coconut shrimp almost too much. Simply put: No, don't do it. There was a special ingredient in the sauce that deadened the sweetness and about wiped my appetite. I thought it tasted of wasabi, but the foodie wasn't convinced. It just wasn't good. For that reason alone, they get a 3-star rating this time.
Date of visit: 5/7/07 - ^^^½
What we had:
Sushi, assorted Chinese food
The sushi at this establishment is what really elevates it to a higher level amongst the field of Chinese buffets. Included were the standard krab, tuna, and avocado sushi, but also surprisingly fresh sashimi (ahi, sake, and one other I wasn't able to identify), tako and unakyu, oysters, seaweed, and kimchee.
The Chinese dishes were pretty good. The fish in soy sauce, sui mai (pork dumplings), and Indian chicken were delicious.
We weren't particularly thrilled with the mushrooms which were bathed in butter and the chicken teriyaki was a little fatty. The Mongolian beef was decent, rather average.
Service was attentive and even on a Monday night, the place was bustling with customers- a testament to it's popularity.
--------------------------
Date of visit: 5/20/07 - ^^^^
Visit two. The sushi was a winner once again. New varieties were available for trying, including a lovely roe and cucumber nigiri that can best be described as giving little bursts of fishiness in your mouth.
There are even hidden treasures to be found, and they are worth the search. At the end of the main food line, there is what appears to be a stack of steaming baskets. The treasure is that each of the baskets contains something different, including delectable sui mai that tastes every bit as good as the kind served in top dim sum restaurants in San Francisco. If the clear dumpling with yellow paste is there, you must try one. Or two.
Also, save a little room for dessert. At the end of the dessert line on the left, the white almond jello is light and fresh. Try some with a little mandarin orange. It's the perfect end to a meal.
--------------------------
Date of Visit: 06/15/07 - ^^^
Visit three. It seems with each visit our plates become heavier with sushi and lighter with the meat. Don't get me wrong, that's not necessarily a bad thing. Overall, everything was on par with our past experiences here, no complaints there.
Of special note, however, was the coconut shrimp they offered. Being a guy with a sweet tooth, I enjoy coconut shrimp almost too much. Simply put: No, don't do it. There was a special ingredient in the sauce that deadened the sweetness and about wiped my appetite. I thought it tasted of wasabi, but the foodie wasn't convinced. It just wasn't good. For that reason alone, they get a 3-star rating this time.
Friday, May 4, 2007
Island Cafe ^^
830 Pioneer Way SE #7, Oak Harbor
Date of visit: 5-3-07
This little cafe is nestled in a little shopping area in downtown Oak Harbor.
What we had:
Fish, beef vegetable soup, coleslaw, garlic toast
Corned beef hash, hash browns, rye toast, eggs over medium, coffee
The generous portion of fish was breaded and a cooked to a nice golden brown. The soup of the day was chosen in lieu of fries. It was decent. The garlic toast was a hit. The coleslaw was a bit heavy on the sauce without being overly vinegary like most, but scored points for not containing raisins.
The corned beef hash was good, it looked like a homemade mix rather than something out of a can. The hash browns and toast were average. The eggs were more over easy than over medium like I requested. Coffee was average restaurant quality.
Date of visit: 5-3-07
This little cafe is nestled in a little shopping area in downtown Oak Harbor.
What we had:
Fish, beef vegetable soup, coleslaw, garlic toast
Corned beef hash, hash browns, rye toast, eggs over medium, coffee
The generous portion of fish was breaded and a cooked to a nice golden brown. The soup of the day was chosen in lieu of fries. It was decent. The garlic toast was a hit. The coleslaw was a bit heavy on the sauce without being overly vinegary like most, but scored points for not containing raisins.
The corned beef hash was good, it looked like a homemade mix rather than something out of a can. The hash browns and toast were average. The eggs were more over easy than over medium like I requested. Coffee was average restaurant quality.
Perla's Lumpia ^
1281 SE Ely St, Oak Harbor
Date of visit: 5-3-07
We stopped at this Filipino mini-mart/restaurant on Whidbey Island because the sign in the window advertised lumpia. The short menu contains standard Filipino dishes like pancit, lechon, tilapia, and of course lumpia. We ordered the lumpia which was cooked fresh and picked up a some kutsinta and ube biko as well.
The lumpia was okay. I wouldn't order it from them again though, as the filling wasn't that flavorful and it differed greatly from the lumpia I had in the Philippines.
The kutsinta and ube biko were average- not much flavor in either.
Date of visit: 5-3-07
We stopped at this Filipino mini-mart/restaurant on Whidbey Island because the sign in the window advertised lumpia. The short menu contains standard Filipino dishes like pancit, lechon, tilapia, and of course lumpia. We ordered the lumpia which was cooked fresh and picked up a some kutsinta and ube biko as well.
The lumpia was okay. I wouldn't order it from them again though, as the filling wasn't that flavorful and it differed greatly from the lumpia I had in the Philippines.
The kutsinta and ube biko were average- not much flavor in either.
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
Noodle Dynasty Restaurant ^^^
4315 6th Ave SE Suite A, Lacey
Date of visit: 5-2-07 - ^^
What we had:
Almond chicken, pork fried rice, egg roll, wonton soup, sweet and sour pork
The food and service were both decent. What stood out for me was the wonton soup. Light flavor, piping hot, generous use of green onion- it's what I would order as a main dish on a future visit.
The almond chicken was what you'd normally expect, no surprises, though I wasn't crazy with the slightly too much crunch to the breading.
The fried rice was bland, though the slices of bbq pork throughout were a nice addition.
A slight salad comprised of shredded lettuce and rice vinegar seasoned julienned carrots would have been better had the lettuce been given a sprinkle of the rice vinegar as well.
The egg roll was decent, nothing notable about it though.
Though the sweet and sour pork was coated with that unnatural glowing red stuff passed off as sweet and sour sauce, surprisingly the pork itself was tender upon biting into it- a pleasant change from most restaurants in the area.
Service was okay. Fairly attentive and very polite. Food was served quickly.
---------------------
Date of visit: 5/22/07 - ^^^½
What we had:
Wonton soup w/ bbq pork and wonton soup with roasted chicken, Vietnamese chicken sandwiches
Best wonton soup outside of San Francisco's Chinatown, hands down. Savory broth, rice noodles, hearty wonton, and a generous helping of on-the-bone roasted chicken with bok choy and green onion.
The sandwiches were a good deal at under three dollars. The bread tasted freshly baked, roasted chicken, julienned carrot and cucumber, onion, and a surprise- green peppers. If you're not a fan of jalapeños, you might want to request them to hold the peppers. Normally though, Vietnamese sandwiches have a light vinegar based dressing, where this one involved mayonnaise. These would be a good choice to pick-up on your way to Huntamer Park for the City of Lacey's Summer Concerts in the Park or Outdoor Cinema series this summer.
Date of visit: 5-2-07 - ^^
What we had:
Almond chicken, pork fried rice, egg roll, wonton soup, sweet and sour pork
The food and service were both decent. What stood out for me was the wonton soup. Light flavor, piping hot, generous use of green onion- it's what I would order as a main dish on a future visit.
The almond chicken was what you'd normally expect, no surprises, though I wasn't crazy with the slightly too much crunch to the breading.
The fried rice was bland, though the slices of bbq pork throughout were a nice addition.
A slight salad comprised of shredded lettuce and rice vinegar seasoned julienned carrots would have been better had the lettuce been given a sprinkle of the rice vinegar as well.
The egg roll was decent, nothing notable about it though.
Though the sweet and sour pork was coated with that unnatural glowing red stuff passed off as sweet and sour sauce, surprisingly the pork itself was tender upon biting into it- a pleasant change from most restaurants in the area.
Service was okay. Fairly attentive and very polite. Food was served quickly.
---------------------
Date of visit: 5/22/07 - ^^^½
What we had:
Wonton soup w/ bbq pork and wonton soup with roasted chicken, Vietnamese chicken sandwiches
Best wonton soup outside of San Francisco's Chinatown, hands down. Savory broth, rice noodles, hearty wonton, and a generous helping of on-the-bone roasted chicken with bok choy and green onion.
The sandwiches were a good deal at under three dollars. The bread tasted freshly baked, roasted chicken, julienned carrot and cucumber, onion, and a surprise- green peppers. If you're not a fan of jalapeños, you might want to request them to hold the peppers. Normally though, Vietnamese sandwiches have a light vinegar based dressing, where this one involved mayonnaise. These would be a good choice to pick-up on your way to Huntamer Park for the City of Lacey's Summer Concerts in the Park or Outdoor Cinema series this summer.
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