I’ve lived on the West coast for over six years, and I hate that it took this long for me to make a trip to Seattle. I have no good reason to explain why, but I do know how I ended up there this year. Thanks to Virgin America’s 2-for-1 flight offer, a few friends and I scored cheap air arrangements to any place on the domestic Virgin destination list. Heading to Seattle felt like a no brainer. After securing an equally inexpensive guest rental property for a weekend via VRBO, we were set. With several business contacts and friends located in Washington, this was going to be a memorable combination of work and play. And food, of course. Here’s a quick rundown of a trip that, admittedly, happened last year but vividly remains in my mind.

We drove down I-5, which somehow finds itself as traffic-laden as Los Angeles’ I-405. But, like most new ventures, the novelty of just being in another city blinded us to just how frustrating that can be. At least on the first day. Our rental property was the renovated basement of a home in Green Lake with three beds, a full bathroom, a fridge and microwave, television, etc. Perhaps 10 or 15 minutes from Downtown, it was the best and most cost-effective alternative to a hotel room. Renting guest properties has been my new favorite travel option over the years, and I was once again pleased. After dropping off our bags and freshening up a bit, we made our way to Pike Place Market for a quick jaunt about the place. We ate everything we could sample–chocolate, honey, jams, cheese and crackers. Yes, fish were thrown around, and I found myself baptized by the slimy finger of a worker after he tossed and caught a multitude of floppy fish. How often do you find yourself blessed by wet scales.

Our first meal of the day was at Pike Place Chowder because Claudia told us it was a must do. We had only met her minutes before as we walked by Choice Produce & Pepper, but she was very sweet and swore that the chowder reminded her of her New England hometown. I chose one of the day’s specials, which was a difficult decision amongst my options. There were no complaints (and no leftovers) after my cup of Crab and Oyster Chowder with Chorizo, Leeks and Corn. With a full belly, I finally had a working mind and could process the fact that we had a tour waiting for us at the Starbucks headquarters. I originally connected with Starbucks during a cooking demonstration and brunch showcasing their Natural Fusions coffee line. Following that day, they hosted a tasting of their Reserve line and offered the opportunity to tour the corporate office if I were in Seattle. As luck would have it, this was the opportunity.

Marianne was our guide, and she opened our eyes to the philosophy, product and corporate image of Starbucks. Although the company is a giant in its industry, the feel of the building is homey and intimate. Specific designs and layouts, internal marketing materials and displays created a winding, multi-floor experience that exemplified Starbucks’ dedication to the people who keep everything in flow and those who support with their money–the employees and consumers, respectively. We touched on the coffee industry and how Starbucks prides itself in purchasing only arabica coffee, which grows at higher altitudes than robusta coffee and has smooth, desirable taste properties. Their products fall under the Fair Trade Certified label, and ethical sourcing and strong regional farmer support rank high on their priority list. Latin America, Africa/Arabia and Asia/Pacific are their three major growing regions due to certain countries geographical locations, elevations, climates and soil characteristics.

We were ushered into the tasting room where Starbucks coffee expert Jun gave us a bit of background on processing–how the coffee beans are extracted from their pods, also known as cherries. Washed coffee cherries flow through a wet mill, and the beans are removed by machines and fermented for several hours, which affects their acidity and body. Semi-washed coffee cherries run through water and smaller hand-pulping machines, then sun-dried, which produces an herbal, spicy flavor. The third process is called natural. There is no fermentation, as the coffee cherries dry on the trees, then they are harvested and the beans are removed. The flavors are high with berry and spice notes. Beans are roasted in five plants. They are located in Washington, Pennsylvania, Nevada, South Carolina and Amsterdam. From there, beans are packed, shipped, distributed and eventually brewed in stores or homes.

Jun led us through the stages of cupping, which is the professional term of the tasting process. The beans are ground and distributed amongst glasses, then sniffed to catch their initial aroma. The glasses are then filled with hot water, brewing the coffee for a few minutes before breaking the foamy ‘crust’ of floating grinds. Break through the crust with a spoon to release the aroma, scoop them away and discard. Then, using the same spoon, scoop out the freshly brewed coffee and slurp the way you used to as a child before you learned it was rude. The loud slurp is key. The vocal and powerful slurp drags the coffee to the back of the tongue and across the palate, and that allows you to examine the characteristics of the coffee with ease. What you’re then looking for is acidity, body and flavor. Acidity relates to the level of a clean, crisp finish on the tongue. Body is the weight of the coffee and how it falls on the tongue and coats the inside of the mouth. Flavor is simply how coffee tastes and includes bold or subtle notes of familiar foods.

We went through three different beans–each one from a Starbucks primary growth region. Kenya is processed with the washed method, it’s flavors are grapefruit and currant, the acidity is high, it has a full body and complementary flavors are grapefruit, berries, currants and raisins. The second was Organic Shade Grown Mexico, which is processed with the washed method, its flavor is toasted nuts and citrus, the acidity is high, its body is medium, and complementary flavors are orange and nuts. Finally, there was the Sumatra, which falls in the semi-washed method with an earthy, herbal flavor, low acidity, full body and complementary flavors of cinnamon, oatmeal, maple, butter and toffee. My friends and I left with a completely different view on coffee, our new preferred blends and, of course, a few samples. Jun gave us all Coffee Passports that described the history of the industry and buying, growing, processing, roasting, packing, brewing, and of course, tasting. There was also a breakdown of flavors sorted by region of origin or seasonal availability. They made it very easy for us to pencil in notes on our favorite blends based on processing method, acidity, body and complementary flavors.

After a full morning of traveling, poking around Pike Place, touring Starbucks and cupping coffee, we were simultaneously exhausted and hopped up on caffeine. After a couple of hours of rest, it was time to check out the Seattle nightlife. But first, dinner. We stopped by Pike Street Fish Fry. It was a recommendation from our coffee leader, Jun, and there was a lot of online buzz to back that up. The restaurant is tiny and smells like hot oil, fish and potatoes. There’s nothing fancy about it, which is just fine for this type of joint. My beer battered cod was super flakey and piping hot. Each piece released steam as I took a bite. The creamy lemon aioli on the side had a sleepy hint of citrus, and it was a little too thin to be classified as aioli, but it worked nonetheless. After dinner, we headed to Havana Social Club just around the corner. Don’t trust the website for an accurate vision of the place, or you’ll be underwhelmed. On that evening, the crowd was a mix of locals in their mid-20s to mid-30s dancing to the DJ’s smooth flow that started with 90s hip hop and R&B towards the early evening and ended with hip hop and Top 40 dance and pop tracks. Everyone was friendly and in the mood to dance, which is always a welcoming and fun break from LA’s typical scene.

The next day was our first full day in Seattle, and we had an agenda. First up, brunch at Toulouse Petit. The restaurant promises a taste of New Orleans in the Pacific Northwest, but that’s quite a stretch. My Fried Chicken Gumbo was nicely spiced, but suffered from a lack of salt. There was also no okra in the gumbo, which is always a tragedy to me. I enjoy the thick quality it adds to the base, as well as the taste of okra itself, so it’s disappointing when gumbo goes without. My Toulouse Sweet Tea washed everything down nicely though. My friends ordered Spicy Shrimp Creole with eggs and grits and Biscuits and Creole Sausage Gravy, which they enjoy. A filling breakfast set us on our way to drive around the city and explore. We walked around the Space Needle, perused antique goods and ran away from birds near the Seattle Waterfront, watched children ride the carousel at Miners Landing and snapped pictures outside of Safeco Field and CenturyLinkField. Our afternoon happy hour venture included snacks and drinks at a restaurant that will remain unnamed. It seemed promising from a few reports, but it was a miss on all accounts. The best part was the fact that Linda of Salty Seattle and Emme of Food Samba joined us. These are two ladies I’ve either met or eaten with in other cities besides their own. It was great to spend time with them on their turf.

Luckily, I found our late night eats to trump the day’s offerings. Tempero de Brasil was the spot for dinner. It’s owned by my blogging friend Emme’s family. The restaurant is owned and operated by Emme, her mother and father who make the food, serve customers and create a local place for friendly fellowship over authentic Brazilian food. We sipped Brazilian beer, Xingu, and Caipirinhas as we made our way through the meal. Chicken croquettes with Emme’s father’s top secret green hot sauce served as an appetizer. I went for prawns in a coconut milk and peanut sauce, which was perfectly accompanied by fried okra and rice and beans. Feijoada was on the table for sure. It’s the national dish of Brazil, so there was no choice but to order it. For dessert, we split a sweet stack of guava paste and salty queso. Plates and bowls were scraped clean, and we had to give our best regards to the chefs. I am happy to say that my friend Ed of Weekend Food Projects also joined us for dinner. It was great to reconnect with him and chat about food, education, Seattle versus Los Angeles and the virtues of Southern food. Our last meal of the night happened late, after dancing away at HG Lodge. The Seattle hot dog! I have a strong love for L.A.’s bacon wrapped dog with everything on it, but eating a hot dog, its bun slathered with cream cheese, made me reconsider all I previously believed. There may not be smoked, crispy bacon hugging a pork weiner, but that’s OK. It really is. Especially when you chomp into warm, oozy cream cheese and bubbling, grilled onions, mustard, ketchup and anything else. It was love at first bite.

The next day, there were only so many hours to make our way through Seattle’s streets, so we started early. First up was brunch with good friends at Cafe Campagne. The French-inspired menu is full of butter, cheese, pâté, rillettes, brioche and foie gras. We ate well and caught up with people who have been living and eating well in Seattle for some time now. There may have been a bit of jealousy on our parts. Our friends parted ways following brunch, and we set walked down to Pike Place Market to visit two must-hit eateries. Beecher’s Handmade Cheesefor mac and cheese and Piroshsky Piroshky for sweet and savory Russian hand pies. Both places had lines out the door, and we all know that is a sign of good stuff. I rarely rave over mac and cheese because I was born in the South. I have my own delicious, baked (mac and cheese should always be baked) recipe, and usually nothing else is better. Beecher’s does a good job with their version, and you have to appreciate the fact that the cheese is housemade. It is cheesey to no end, although that crunchy, crusty browned cheese on top is missing. I won’t fault them for that though. It is worth the wait in line. Our piroshkies were right on though. Watching the workers roll and knead the dough and fill with cheese, fruits and vegetables was great. The aroma of buttery dough crisping in the oven was intoxicating. We grabbed a two seats along the tiny wall inside and snacked on our purchases. Now I want to make piroshky at home.

If you’re wondering how we managed to make it this far without exploding, you have good reason. This is why foodies travel in groups. It’s much easier to try several dishes using the conquer and divide method. We hopped in our car and made our way to two Tom Douglas Downtown Seattle locations, Serious Pie and Dahlia Bakery. They are just around the corner from each other, making dinner and dessert oh so easy to accomplish. At this point, we were somewhere between brunch and dinner, but we made it work. We split the Penn Cove Clam pizza. The crust was light, chewy and delicately burnt from its ride in the ovens. I was at a table with two others who do not eat clams, so it was difficult enough just to get it on the table. With open minds, they decided to go for it, and I’d say they enjoyed each slice. At Dahlia Bakery, we picked up three items–the Oatmeal and Apricot Cookie, the Chocolate Butter Pecan Cookie and a Russian Tea Cake. The oatmeal cookie and butter pecan cookie topped my list.

Following our pizza and cookie foray, it was time to head to the Capitol Hill area for happy hour at The Grill on Broadway. We met two more friends who are in graduate school in Seattle. They offer happy hour twice a day, every day, and all day on Sundays. It was a Sunday, so we were in luck. We ordered several items, and I put the calamari and truffle fries at the top of the list. Before heading to the airport, we stopped by Top Pot Hand-Forged Doughnuts in the same neighborhood for takeaway items. It was the end of the day, and the pickings were slim. They were also stale. After all of the hype, we can’t say that Top Pot left a good impression on us, but the odds were against us. You win some, you lose some.

With only three days in Seattle, we hit the pavement at a fast and furious pace. Exploring the various neighborhoods, visiting each and every friend possible and sampling almost any dish that Seattle had to offer were our goals. I’d say each one was checked off the list. Seattle is calling my name for a return trip.

• «Previous Post
• Next Post »

---