Try The Kingfish Cafe for knockout southern comfort food

Believe everything you've heard about The Kingfish Cafe. Yes it really is that good, and yes, you will wait for a table --unless you arrive ahead of the 5:30 dinner opening and hang out with other hopefuls who skipped lunch in anticipation.

The nine dinner entrees range in price from $11.25 for red beans and rice up to $18.75 for a ribeye steak. Entrees include appropriate accompaniments, such as collard greens, grits, or mashed potatoes. Starter salad or soup is not included.

For a delicious sharable starter, try the trio of Wonderful Dips. The catfish spread is the southern version of the northwest's salmon spread: fresh, creamy and rich: perfect on the sturdy and salty crackers. Slather the spicy black-eyed pea spread on a piece of crispy flat bread for a treat which puts mexi bean dip to shame. The cool artichoke garlic dip is tasty, but not as remarkable as the other two. Saying that, I must admit to mopping the artichoke dip bowl clean with the last bite of lightly toasted bread.

I had the griddled catfish entree: a generous portion of cornmeal-dredged and pan-fried fish, accompanied by a hearty scoop of tomatoey, garlicky, spicy grits and enough collard greens to make both your mom and your nana happy ($12.75) The catfish was cooked to perfection: crispy brown outer and moist, flavorful inner. The grits were mighty fine - the savory seasoning was a new thing for me. (Growing up with southern parents, grits were dressed up with butter and sugar and served with breakfast.) Collard greens hit the spot too, but if you are vegetarian, ask questions first. I'm pretty sure I tasted ham hock along with the onion and other flavors in the dish.

The menu warns that the buttermilk fried chicken entree may run out and I can understand why($15.50). I tasted a bite and it beats Ezell's chicken hands down. (Granted, Ezell's costs less and you get it quicker.)

I rarely RARELY order dessert, but couldn't pass up pineapple upside down cake. Another staple in my childhood kitchen, I imagined it would be something like the Duncan Hines kit: a flat one-layer cake, pineapple rings shining through the butter/sugar topping, and a half of maraschino cherry centered in each circle. I couldn't be more wrong. The Kingfish Cafe version of pineapple upside down cake was so right.

Check out Kingfish Cafe for the knockout southern home comfort food, attentive service, and warm and friendly staff. Well worth the wait.

La Cote Creperie on Madison

La Cote Creperie
Originally uploaded by JeanineAnderson

Rectangle-shaped and brown, but get over it: the savory crepes at La Cote Creperie are delicious. I ordered the l'auvergnate: proscuitto, bleu cheese, and walnuts. By "order" I mean I pointed to it on the menu. (What? I don't speak French!) I considered ordering a small salad greens to go alongside, but didn't in favor of saving room to order a lemon-sugar sweet crepe later.

La Cote Creperie uses buckwheat flour for their savory crepes, and boy, what a delight. The buckwheat provides a deep note to balance out the rich savory filling. The l'auvergnate was a nice balance of flavors and textures: salt, crunch, and cheese. The portion was perfectly sized: any larger and the rich flavors would be too much.

And the lemon-sugar crepe: I didn't end up ordering it. I need an excuse to go back to La Cote Creperie soon.

La Cote Creperie
2811 E Madison St
(between E 28th Ave & E 29th Ave)
Seattle, WA 98112
(206) 323-9800

Pike Street Fish Fry: Hot Fish Now

Pike Street Fish Fry has cravable, deep-fried goodness: little chunks of fresh fish served in cups lined with paper (so old school!). You can’t go wrong here. With one bench for seating and the rest SRO, Pike Street Fish Fry is the epitome of street food, Seattle style: stand in a dry spot and eat with your hands. Drunk or sober, it hits your craving.



Pike Street Fish Fry in the old Frites location Neumos. The old Frites fryers are put to delicious use, and in an homage to the previous establishment Fish Fry offers a selection of house-made dipping sauces plus bottled Coca-Cola from Mexico.

The menu is short and tightly-focused. Offerings include ling cod, red snapper, halibut, spearfish, salmon, octopus, and a few others I can’t remember. The uber- fresh fish from Mutual Seafood is available fried, grilled, or as a sandwich made with a schmear of slaw. Average price runs $7.00. Everything is a la carte so if “you want fries with that?” is the way you roll with your fish, add another four bucks. Upscale beer and wine are available to keep with the upscale street-food vibe. The seasonal menu currently lists fried asparagus. Word is that the asparagus is amazing. I want. Perhaps today. Or tomorrow. Or both.

Although I had trouble initially distinguishing the halibut from the ling cod, both were deliciously moist, not overly battered, and not greasy. The fish and fries are served in cups lined with printed paper. The best surprise? What I thought might be an onion ring turned out to be a sliver of a lemon circle deep fried and served on top the fish. OMG. A flavor explosion and perfect accompaniment. Really, truly, perfect.



The joint is run by Michael Hebberoy of One Pot fame and Portland restaurant infamy. Love him or hate him, the night I was there he was a gracious host buzzing between the register, the beer tap, the kitchen, the door, and checking in with patrons. He had just returned from setting up donated nosh for a Vera Project fundraiser at the McLeod Residence. Good heart, good cause, good peeps. Right on.

Auspicious re-start, Hebberoy, in this cubbyhole of a spot on Capitol Hill. Peeps, expect lines out the door summer evenings.

Pike Street Fish Fry
10th and Pike Seattle

Northshore Hawaiian BBQ: Aloha!

Head to Northshore Hawaiian BBQ when you are craving an inexpensive and tasty aloha plate meal. If you've been to an L & L, you have an idea of what to expect. Just don't mention L & L to the guy taking your order: you'll get a dose of friendly sass right back atcha.

The newly opened store is conveniently located about 10 minutes from where I live (5 if I get all green lights). This is a companion location to the original and still-running Greenwood spot. You'll find the new place on that odd triangle-shaped property at the intersection of Boren, Yesler, and 12th (not quite either First Hill or Little Saigon 'hoods). [map]

Most of the menu items are $7 or less and come complete with the island standard fixin’s: two scoops of rice + 1 scoop of macaroni salad. You can substitute salad for the carb-heavy sides, making the grilled Mahi Mahi ($7.99) or Baked Salmon ($8.99) healthy alternatives.

We tried the Hawaiian BBQ Chicken and the Hawaiian BBQ Beef Short Rib plates. Portions are generous: the two split and marinated thigh pieces and three cuts of short rib are each served on a bed of angel hair cabbage. The chicken was moist, sweet and easy to cut with a fork. It is likely the same used for the BBQ Chicken Sandwich ($4.99), which comes with fries or mac salad. The short ribs were tender with only a little bit of fatty bits (surprising for the price!).

Other menu selections include soup, katsu, kaula pork, lau lau, lomi lomi salmon, musubi, fried rice, noodles, and salads. Vegetarian options are limited: veggie fried noodle and stir fried veggies. Additional seafood choices include shrimp and calamari.

The casual interior is done up in bright colors with tiki furniture and surfboard accents. Alcohol is not available, so get takeout if you want a complete island dining experiene with Longboard beer.

Good for: take out, casual meal, sharing, carnivores (and ok for pescatarians).
Not good for: romance, vegetarians.

Shaka!

Northshore Hawaiian BBQ
110 Boren Ave S, Seattle
206.621.1121

Outstanding in the Field: outdoor gourmet dinner to come to Seattle

Santa Cruz-based Outstanding in the Field organizes a dining experience like no other. (And priced accordingly.) They have just announced their 2008 locations - which include a stop in Seattle in July.
Outstanding in the Field brings together local farmers, chefs, winemakers, and food artisans to prepare a 4-course gourmet dinner, served family style and outdoors on a linen-draped long table. Events are located as close as possible to the source of the ingredients (such as a farm or seaside) and include a short, low-key educational activity related to the location (such as learning how identify edible mushrooms during a walk through forest).
The last Seattle-area Outstanding in the Field event was held in LaConner in 2005 and featured chef John Sundstrom of Lark. 'Nuff said.
The exact date for the July 2008 Seattle-area event has not yet been announced; join their mailing list to get the deets. Word is that events sell out quickly, even at $150 - $200 per person.
I'm not sure I'm foodie-leaning enough (or free-spending enough) to actually go, but it does sound delicious and adventurous and I bet interesting people attend.

Piecora's and Krafty Kuts

A long-time friend was in town from Japan, so most of the usual gang got together for American food and a dance night.

We pre-func’ed at the townhouse with pizza and killer hot wings from Piecora’s. And I do mean killer hot: as in make-you-lips-numb hot. Delicious. The wings are cooked perfectly with a crispy outer layer and baked with what I suspect is a house-made wing sauce. (Did I see jalapeno chunks?) The wings are served with bread for mopping up the tasty sauce and also includes blue cheese or ranch dressing for dipping. Messy goodness for carnivores.

The pizza from Piecora’s is reliable. The crust is a little thicker than I prefer but the toppings are fresh and they don’t use any foodstuffs that look like dog kibbles. They have a by-request thin crust available for pies with two or fewer toppings.

After too much food and drink, we talked and laughed (loudly, I'm sure) the three blocks to Chop Suey to catch Krafty Kuts.

Krafty Kuts is a popular award-winning breaks DJ, mixer, and producer from Brighton, UK. I was looking forward to his set at Chop Suey. He spun great mixes and his transitions smooth. However there were only a few moments of the give-and-take between a DJ and the audience which make a good show turn great. KK didn’t appear to be having as much fun as the crowd. Or maybe he just isn’t a very expressive fellow. But dude: try looking up from the decks a little more frequently.

Our group of eleven was able to secure cozy couch seating in the desirable back bar area where the floor is raised up a step, sightlines are good, and the sound is crystal clear. It’s the best hangout spot when not on the dance floor.

Demographics: Two-thirds boys, one-third girls. Average age in the bar: 30. Attire: upscale casual. Jeans and t-shirts, hoodies, or button-downs for boys, jeans and shiny shirts for girls. A few skirts with boots.