Holy Coconut!!!

I finally got the chance to get down to the Juice Truck to try their infamous One Coconut smoothie. Since this coconutty treat was added to the JT's menu, it has earned itself a lot of attention on JT's twitter page.  The new kid on the block (or on the truck in this case) has really made a name for itself.  

And after trying the One Coconut, I can see why it has become such a hot commodity.  This drink just EXPLODES with coconut flavor.  It has coconut x3- coconut water, coconut milk AND real coconut meat.  If you are a coconut fan, you must try it.  It will make you think you have died and gone to coconut heaven!!!

 

Farmer's Market meets the Shangri-La!

It is not everyday that "Farmer's Market" and "Shangri-La Hotel" come up in the same sentence. So, despite having worked all night at St. Paul's, I felt compelled to head over to the "Market at MARKET by Jean George".

I read about this unique concept while sitting at the Naam yesterday eating brunch (ode to the Naam, a true Vancouver icon!).  The market was running today from 11-2 so I knew that I had to check it out post-call.  I intend to make it out to as many "Vancouver Farmer's Market" events that I possibly can- how can I pass up opportunities to meet local farmers and purchase amazingly fresh food, especially with a name like Miss Locavore?

The market was located on the 3rd floor patio of the Shangri-La, just outside the restaurant.  By the time I arrived at 12:30, the place as packed with vendors and shoppers.  At the entrance was a booth giving samples of Tinhorn Creek wine.  As soon as I got past the entrance, I was greeted by a sharply dressed waiter who offered me a dainty hors d'oeuvres of miniature vegetables dipped in a sort of olive tamponade.  It was served in a bowl and was meant to look like the vegetables were growing out of soil. Very cute. yet refined.  I knew right away that this was not your average farmer's market!

There were 9 vendors total, which was about all the space could comfortably hold without shoppers stumbling over each other (although there was some of that anyway, especially when a new hors d'oeuvres made its appearance!).  Four of the vendors were selling produce (microgreens, carrots, strawberries, etc.), one was selling BC salmon (canned) and the others were selling baked goods and spreads.  Personally, I would have liked to see more fresh produce and local farmers but I suppose that the size of the space did not really allow for this.  

My purchases included some beautiful salad greens from Glorious Organics Coop (made a salad for dinner, so delicious!) and a few summer squash (still waiting for inspiration on how I will use them- please reply if you have any ideas!).  The vendor was incredibly friendly and very knowledgeable about her products.  Did you know that salad greens get sweeter the longer they stay in the ground?  Bagged greens in the stores are grown for about 3 weeks while this farmer grows hers for 5-6 weeks, making the flavors really develop.  You can learn a lot from your local farmers!

I was also intrigued by Erin Ireland's stand.  She was sampling and selling her infamous banana bread that was used by the Juice Truck in their now-retired Banana Bread smoothie.  I saw that she was selling banana bread made with bacon and bought a piece to bring home to my bacon-loving husband.

All in all, I had a nice time at the market although I don't think I would call it a true "Farmer's Market" since the focus was more on speciatly items than local farmers.  Also, I felt that it lacked the sense of community that I feel at the regular markets (Kits, Trout Lake, West End).  I do, however, respect the fact that they were trying to appeal to a different audience.  I believe that there is an misconception that Farmer's Markets are for "hippies" and perhaps this scares some people off. So if events like this succeed in making the Farmer's Market more palatable to a larger audience, I am all for it.

 

I heart Whole Foods!

OK, so maybe my husband is right.  I am just a little bit obsessed with Whole Foods.  Or a lot obsessed.  There are not too many days of my life that go by without a visit to either Whole Foods Cambie or Capers on West 4th (Capers is a Vancouver chain taken over by WF several years ago). My day just not feel complete until I do so.  Sad but true.

Among the many things I love aboout Whole Foods (I will save my "reasons I love WF" post for another day), I very much appreciate their interest in supporting the local farmers.  They always have a large selection of BC produce which is usually displayed at the front of the store with signs telling you exactly what place (and sometimes even what farm) the item came from.  Perfect for a locavore like me!

On my most recent visit to WF (today), I noticed this really neat wall that they have created that displays all of their current local items.  What an awesome idea!  Go to the wall before you start shopping and let your creative juices flow as you think of dishes to prepare with these fresh, local ingredients!  My only recommendation is to put this display right in the entrance so that shoppers see in when they walk through the door and be immediately inspired to buy local.

Way to go WF!  Keep up the great work!

 

New-Smoothie-at-Juice-Truck Alert!

The trek down to the Juice Truck from St. Paul's Hospital gave me just enough time to decide on what "smoothie mood" I was in.  It had to be the Hybrid- on the lighter end of their smoothie spectrum with a nice touch of cinnamon. 

But little did I know that the JT boys would throw a wrench into my plans with- "The Glove"!  I pretty much know their menu off by heart so this really threw me for a loop.  A new smoothie, yea!  They had just introduced the ONE Coconut so I did not expect another new concoction so soon!  As soon as I read the ingresdients, it was clear that the Hybrid would have to wait for another day. Pear, banana, cocao nibs, vanilla and almond milk- yummo!!!

And my taste buds were not dissapointed.  If you have not had The Glove yet, get down to your local Juice Truck asap!  Not only is this smoothie delicious but a portion of every one sold goes to support a local boxing club that is in danger of being shut down (get it, The Glove?). 

Thanks for another great smoothie creation guys!  Yet another success!

Here is the Glove in the plastic container that I bring when I go to visit.  Why not think about bringing your own cup on your next visit?  If you are nice to them, they may even give you a Juice Truck sticker to put on it:)

P.S: Did you know that the JT is now doing salads too?  They purchase them from a friend who is equally into fresh, local, healthy foods.  Unfortunately, they were all sold out by the time I got there but they look amazing.  Cannot wait to try one!!!

Canlis- a true Seattle icon

Canlis

2576 Aurora Avenue North  Seattle, WA 98109, United States

 

Yumminess: 5/5

Service: 5+/5

Atmosphere: 5/5

Locavore approved? Yes, especially their vegetarian tasting menu!

Overall: 5/5

The pinnacle dinner of our Seattle trip on Saturday night was at Canlis, toted as the best fine dining restaurant in Seattle.  Since I knew it would come at a hefty price, I did quite a lot of review reading to ensure it was what we were looking for.  At first, I was concerned that a restaurant over 60 years old might still be serving 1950’s style food but after learning that they hired a new chef, Jason Franey, who had won Food and Wine’s Best New Chef award in 2011, I felt much more comfortable with my choice.  The final piece that drew me to Canlis was its seasonal vegetarian tasting menu.  I think it takes guts for a chef to be able to transform a simple vegetable and transform it into the star of the dish. 

As we drove up to Canlis, we were immediately struck by the beauty of the restaurant and its surroundings.  It sits atop a hill that overlooks a lake with views of the whole city.  The view is quite breathtaking.  

 When you step into the door, the place screams of formality.  Yes, perhaps a bit old-school and something that you rarely, if ever, find in Vancouver any more, but on occasion it is nice to get the sort of special treatment that Canlis obviously prides itself in. There are servers aplently that escort you to the bathroom, pull out your seat every time you move to and from the table, clean crumbs after every course, etc, etc.  There were a few small blips in service (having to wait 15 minutes for our table despite having a reservation and waiting quite a while between some of our courses) but overall it was quite exceptional. We were especially impressed when we were brought a free aperatif because they felt that we had were waiting too long for our cab at the end of the meal.   It is obvious that pleasing their guests is paramount.

  Canlis prides itself in its designation as the top wine destination in Seattle and when you see it's why list, you will see why.  They have nearly 20 000 bottles of wine in their massive cellar!  So no matter what your particular taste in wine is (and what your price range is), you will find what you are yearning for.  They actually recommend arriving an hour early if you want to read through the entire wine list beforehand!  Ok, I enjoy my wine but this seems a bit excessive!  They also have 5 sommeliers who can assist you if the list overwhelms you.  There is a decent selection of Washington wines which is great for those of us visiting from elsewhere who are into locally sourced options.

  I, of course, ordered the 7-course vegetarian menu.  My husband was not all that impressed by the regular tasting menu so he instead ordered a steak.  Our waiter helpfully suggested that he order a half portion of two appetizers so that he would not be without food for too many of my 7 courses.  He therefore ordered the famous Canlis salad (apparently voted one of the top 100 dishes in North America by Saveur magazine), the hamachi with green apple and the filet with a side of their famous twice baked potato that they have been making for over 60 years.

  We were first treated to an Amuse Bouche. It was quite a sizable Amuse, comprised of  a light strawberry chilled soup and, on the side, a delicate round strawberry gelee.  It made for a very pretty plate and was the perfect starter to a vegetarian tasting menu.

 

 

 

 

I was very excited to be served an asparagus dish as my first plate. Fresh, local asparagus is one of my favorite things about spring!  The two juicy asparagus spears were sitting atop a salty caper aioli and some fluffy quinoa.  Perched on top of the asparagus was a beautiful quail's egg yolk, which really made the dish for me.

 

 

When I heard that the next dish was a beet salad, I was a bit disappointed. Not that I do not like beets, but it seems like everyone and his brother has some kind of rendition if this on its menu right now. Fortunately, my disappointment disappeared when I realized that this was no run-of-the-mill beet salad.  Sure, there were beets (local and delicious BTW!) but there was also a side of goat cheese sorbet and, best of all, a delicious crumb component (not sure what this was) that added a wonderful textural contrast.  I have eaten many beet salads in my day, but this one wins top prize for both creativity and taste!

 

 

 

 

 

The third dish showcased cauliflower and carrot. The piece of grilled cauliflower was served on a carrot purée (what a radiant orange color!) with two miniature carrot halves on the side.

 

The main dish was a ramp and ricotta tortellini (also the sole vegetarian entree on their current menu). The tortellini stuffing is a beautiful mint-green clot which pairs beautifully with the brilliant green watercress purée beneath the pasta.  A visually beautiful dish with clean, delicate flavors.

 

Next, we each received a palate cleanser of pineapple sorbet- it was so good that I ate it up before I was able to get a picture:)

 

Lastly was the dessert course which I  shared with my husband since he did not order dessert.  It was an easy dish to share as there were two components- a chocolate lava cake for him (rich and decadent) and an ice cream with cookie pieces beneath it for me (refreshing with just enough sweetness).  The best of both worlds!

 

As you can probably tell by now, I enjoyed my meal very much.  I really appreciated the chef’s creativity in making the vegetable the star of the dish and using the other ingredients to highlight it.  I also really enjoyed the chef’s playful use of texture to add depth to his dishes.  Also, the presentation of the dishes were extremely artistic and the colors of spring really shone through. My only suggestion is that they may want to consider increasing the portion sizes of the dishes, particularly the pasta course.  Even after 7 courses, I was still slightly hungry leaving the restaurant, so I ate a second dessert when I got back to the hotel:)

 My husband really enjoyed his meal as well.  The Canlis salad was very fresh with a generous amount of bacon, his steak was perfectly cooked and the twice baked potato was decadent.

Overall, Canlis does a very good job at making you feel special.  Their 60 years of experience certainly shows in the quality of service.  Their food, however, is not the leat bit dated thanks to a chef who is obviously daring in the kitchen and shows great technique in his use of texture, color and flavor.  All we can hope is that Canlis remains for at least another 60 years and that it continues to evolve with the changes in the culinary tide.

 

 

 

 

 

Seattle Snacks!

Top Pot Doughnuts

2124 5th Avenue
Seattle
(206) 728-1966

As per my husband (I am no doughnut connaiseur!):

Yumminess factor: 4/5

Service: Friendly

Atmosphere: 4/5 (kinda retro)

Locavore approved? Dont' think so- can deep-fried dough really be local?

I am not a doughnut fan but my husband is so we could not leave Seattle without trying Top Doughnuts, especially since it was right next door to our hotel! We had not heard of it before coming to Seattle but the enormous line at the counter spoke for itself.

We asked about top sellers and were recommended the glazed old-fashioned, the maple log or the apple fritter. My husband, being a doughnut purist, went with the old-fashioned. I will sum his thoughts up in one word- yum! What else can be said about homemade fried dough, obviously made with love in this popular Seattle establishment.

Next time we are here, we will also make a return trip to Lola to try their famous mini-doughnuts but for this trip, Top Doughnuts certainly fit the bill!

 

Emerald City Smoothie

Multiple locations in downtown Seattle

Yumminess factor: 3/5 

Service: Friendly

Atmosphere: In a mall food court...

Locavore approved? Nope. Their menu stays the same all year round

Not wanting to be left out while my husband feasted on his doughnut, I wanted to try one of the juicy creations at Emerald City Smoothie. I spotted this place while walking to the Capitol Hill District yesterday and, being a smoothie lover (see my previous post on Vancouver's Juice Truck) I did not want to miss out. I got the "Slimkin", made with banana, strawberry and pumpkin (I love pumpkin in anything!). At 3.78 taxes in, the price was right and it was tasty, although a little sweet for my liking. I also noticed something that rubbed me the wrong way- as a caution for all those who are calorie conscious, they post the calories and fat for each drink but do not tell you that these are for a 16oz and not their standard 24oz. They will not even offer you a 16oz unless you ask specifically for it as I did. I think this is quite deceptive. While it is not a big deal for me who just wanted a tasty treat, it is not fair to all of those who are trying their hardest to shed a few pounds.  So come on ECS- give people the straight facts so they can make informed choices!

While ECS was a nice refresher on what turned out to be a sunny Seattle day, their smoothies do not compare to those at Whole Foods in Vanny or especially to those at my beloved Juice Truck!

 

 

A unique Greek brunch in Seattle

Lola

2000 4th Avenue 
Seattle, WA 98121
(206) 441-1430

Yumminess factor: 4/5

Service: 4/5

Atmsphere: 4/5

Locavore approved? Yes, their menu changes seasonally depending on what is in season, they do strive to use local ingredients when possible

After such success at Serious Pie, I was looking forward to trying our second Tom Douglas stop, Lola.  My husband and I have really developed a liking for brunch since moving to Vancouver where it seems as though everywhere offers at least a benny or two. 

 

Since our dinner reservation was not until 9:30pm (I made my Canlis reservation almost a month ahead of time and that was all that was available), Ih ad booked us in for a late brunch at Lola.  They have a pretty unique brunch menu that has a very Greek influence (kebabs, pita with dips, greek salad) so I thought it might be a change from what we get every weekend at home.

It is a nice and cozy restaurant with big comfortable booths.  Service was friendly and pretty fast. 

 

My husband started with a Mimosa that he thought had a bit too high champagne:juice ratio although for someone who wants a morning wake-up call, this may be just the ticket.

 

I had the Tom’s Big Breakfast, which, based on previous reviews, changes every so often to keep it seasonal, earning them “brownie points” in the locavore category.  It is currently composed of blackened octopus, peas, fresh garbanzos and onions.  These are served over a generous helping of creamy greek yogurt spiced with garlic.  On the side are two pieces of toast made at Dahlia Bakery, yet another Tom Douglas place right across the street from Lola.  I really appreciated the use of fresh garbanzos (green instead of the usual beige ones from a can) and the use of local peas (as stated by the waitress).  The octopus, however, was over-blackened which took away from the more subtle flavors of the fresh veggies.  The creamy yogurt at the bottom added a nice textural component.  Overall, I enjoyed the dish but it could have been better without the blackening spice competing with the other flavors. 

 

My husband had the pancakes with pork sausage and a side of vanilla mascarpone.  The three big pancakes were fluffy and the mascarpone was a nice accompaniment.  The star for him though was the sausage, which had great spice and texture.  Overall, he really enjoyed his meal.

 

As with Serious Pie, this place is quite accessible to the average Joe for a special treat as the prices are fairly reasonable (entrees average around $15).  Although it did not steal my heart as much as Serious Pie, I can see why this is a popular brunch hangout in Seattle and appreciated the selection of out-of-the-box menu items.