Seattle Sweets (and a little Salt)

I've just recently started exploring Seattle beyond Pike Place Market and what I have suspected is true - it is a very tasty city. Of course one can't just go explore on their own with only a three year old for company which is why I love visitors. My mom is particularly good for exploring with and often times she will do a little vetting on her own then let me know what is worth seeing, doing or eating. Everywhere we have lived she has found some of the best places. (And she is a human mapquest which is nice) So far the memorable eats we have had together are sandwiches at Salumi - a tiny restaurant owned by Mario Batali's parents. It opens at 11 with a line already formed well before that on most days. Basically it's a cured meats shop and they slap that on some good bread with some good cheese and voila you have a cult following. Seating is limited and you just file through and order at the counter. It's one of those places that intimidates you because the line is moving and you just keep staring at the menu on the wall without a clue how to pronounce most of the things, much less what to order. The first time I had...well...I myself ordered a spicy soppressata sandwich with fresh mozzarella and some thin, salty but delicious spread of something - garlic, anchovies? I don't know for sure but that's the sandwich I've ordered the last two times I've gone as well. The first time I also ordered the kids a meatball sandwich which I delightfully got to eat half of and my mom ordered the Porchetta at the recommendation of someone in front of us in line. Eh. It was a bit underseasoned for my taste. But that unfortunately didn't stop me from eating half of that one too. But enough about meats.

After seeing Food Network's Best Thing I Ever Ate, Fried Food Episode we had to go to Lola on Giada's recommendation and have the doughnuts. (Different day than the Salumi trip - by a couple of months actually) I am not a doughnut person. Occasionally I'll have an old-fashioned or a chocolate cake variety but Krispy Kreme or doughnuts like that I don't enjoy. These are kinda along the lines of those - light and fluffy - but small and served hot and shook up at your table with cinnamon and sugar on it. The doughnuts, while o-kay, were merely a vehicle for what accompanied them. Vanilla-Marscapone sauce and fresh seasonal (this time huckleberry) jam. Those parts were yummy. I would have them again yes, but I would go across the street and order them at Tom Douglas' bakery for a dollar less. I do want to go back to Lola though and order their Octopus Hash for breakfast. At least I think I do. In addition to the doughnuts we split a regular breakfast plate (eggs, bacon, toast, smashed potatoes) that was very yummy. Our intention was to hit up another Douglas restaurant across the street Serious Pie which was also featured on the Food Network for it's pizza. But we weren't quite hungry enough an hour later. So we went to Dahlia bakery and ended up with the Triple Coconut Cream Pie bites - I really really want a whole one but it's over $30. And the mini one at $16 just doesn't seem like the greatest deal either. But they might be worth it. The macaroons are super good too.

There is another place in Seattle that I have been having dreams about ever since I went there. This time it was with my sister-in-law Alise who was in town for a brief visit and our friend Meka who is lucky to live very near all of this culinary action. The place - Theo Chocolates. I had really wanted to go on one of their tours because it sounds like fun. But they were booked up when we went even though I called a week in advance, however, a visit to their storefront was not disappointing. It was pretty much an all-you-can-taste chocolate fest. Between my kids and I we probably ate...I don't know in weight but at least 20 dollars in chocolate. In addition to the usual milk and varying degrees of dark chocolate they had some wacky flavors like coconut curry, chai, ghost chili, etc. My favorites were the mints - peppermint and spearmint I believe, the cocoa nibs and the bread and chocolate which I had never heard of but was the best - a little sweet a little salty and a lot chocolaty. And Theo chocolate I guess is the only organic/fair trade chocolatier in the U.S. which should probably mean more to me but I just really like their samples.

Hopefully I'll get some more visitors after this.